Married women who have children have increasingly begun to outpace their male spouses as primary breadwinners for the family. In 2011, 23 percent of the wives in those families earned more than their husbands.
When people find themselves in nontradtional gender roles like that, there is bound to be a learning curve at first. One woman in that situation who wrote “When She Makes More: 10 Rules for Breadwinning Women” and who also is an expert in finance says that when women are bringing home the bacon, the rate of divorce rises.
In an interview with “Business Insider,” she offered advice to those women in her situation. One thing that they can do to strengthen the marital bond is “enlist help and support and accountability from [their] partner[s].”
Working in tandem with lower-earning male spouses and those husbands whose primary duties include running the household and caring for the kids creates a supportive partnership. In contrast, those wives who attempt to burn the candle at both ends often wind up on the fast track to divorce.
Some of the biggest challenges to marriages with atypical gender roles can come from outside the marriage itself. Society as a whole has been late to the table recognizing that women have a great deal more to contribute financially through a robust career.
When a breadwinning wife receives support from her partner, it releases the stress of her feeling as if she has to be all things to those she loves. It also allows her to expand her roles as mother, sister, daughter and friend.
Communication of expectations between the partners is key. That way, both spouses can express their goals and define their own personal responsibilities so that no one is left resenting his or her role in the marriage.
An important thing to note for Maricopa County women in the role of primary breadwinner is that should their marriages fail, they could find themselves having to pay spousal or child support. As always, learning more about the Arizona laws governing divorce is empowering and wise.
Source: Business Insider, “A financial expert explains how to avoid a ‘fast route to disaster’ in your marriage,” Tanza Loudenback, accessed Jan. 12, 2018