I'm married now. When I was single, it just did not matter. I lived in a developing country. My income wasn't that great in the US, but there it was considered huge. I helped pay my wife's tuition and things like that when we were 'just friends' before we dated.
It's been a while, but if I thought then like I think now, if a woman has too good of a career, that might make me wonder if she would be a good choice for a wife. I want a wife who will put family before career, and if a woman is too career-focused and plans to put family behind her career, that would be a major turn-off.
We recently started a small business and my wife has done most of the work on it while I did other things. It's making money, and I am happy for her success. But my wife is very diligent around the home and we both know family needs to come before business. The reason for the business, or one reason, is to help support the family.
I've got life insurance, but I still want my wife to have marketable skills in case something happens to me.
This conversation reminds me of the old Seinfeld scene where his love interest does not respect his job and he says, "Your a cashier."
One of the best Seinfeld lines EVER. - YouTube
Men usually don't care about that kind of stuff.
Bingo!
There have been women in my family who were brilliant, hard working women who raised big beautiful families, but when their husbands passed, they went into a tailspin because they knew nothing of business/finance. I loved caring for my family more than I can say, but I have always liked working too. Putting in a productive day at work gives me the same sort of satisfaction it gave me to know that my house was clean, my family was well cared for and loved my cooking.
After my husband died, it was my responsibility not only to care for myself and hold my
own job, but to finish raising a teenage boy and help my mother-in-law run a company founded by her husband/son (my husband). It was my son's birthright, his grandmother's livelihood (and ours), as well as the bread and butter for all of the employees who had so faithfully served our families over the years. My young adult son is now taking the lead in running that company while he finishes school and I am free now to pursue my own business/personal interests. I am so very thankful to God for giving me the strength and wisdom to hold things together as He did.
Proverbs 31 clearly shows us how important it is for a woman to not only know how to clean/cook/burp babies, but how to be a responsible business woman as well:
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16 [/SUP]She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
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17 [/SUP]She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
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18 [/SUP]She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
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19 [/SUP]In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
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20 [/SUP]She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
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21 [/SUP]When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
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22 [/SUP]She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
To be blunt, there is a reason the "oldest profession" is the oldest profession. When a woman isn't prepared for the eventualities of life, desperate times can call for desperate measures, especially if she has little mouths to feed. Ladies need to be prepared. Men who truly love them understand this.