- my iParenting
- quick clicks
- article archive
- expert q & a
- community & groups
- research baby names
- prepare a birth plan
- content channels
- ip channel rss feeds
- read birth stories
- read parenting stories
- recommended books
- e-newsletters
- safety recalls
- ip diaries
- ip store
- mom of the month
- dad of the month
- editor's letter
- letters to the editor
From Our Sponsors
- e-newsletters
- Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters
- award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
What Do We Do Now?
How to Survive a Spouse's Job Loss
By Teri Brown
In today's troubled economy, downsizing and layoffs are a way of life. No one ever believes it's going to happen to them and but when it happens to you or your spouse, it brings a host of problems, both emotional and financial. How you deal with the trauma caused by job loss, especially in a one-income family, is crucial to your family's future success.
The First Wave of Shock and DenialHope Wilbanks and her husband, Robert, were devastated when Robert lost his long-term job at a power tool company. It was a double blow because they had only recently discovered that Hope was pregnant. "It brought a lot of stress into both of our lives, worrying about having no insurance and such," says Hope. "Fortunately, Robert was able to draw unemployment and also took on small jobs here and there for cash, which helped with the bills."
Survival seems to be the catchword for most people who have been through a job loss. The Stevens' family, from Eau Claire, Wis., thought they had found the perfect situation when Jason Stevens was promoted from long haul trucker to dispatcher within the same company. He was able to spend more time at home with their three children and received an increase in pay. It seemed like a win-win situation. Then the company began to have financial trouble and Steven, the newest dispatcher, was first on the chopping block.
"We tried very hard to not let the stress affect our family," says Amanda Stevens, a stay-at-home mom. "To be perfectly honest, though, there were days when I was struggling with all the worries of bills, rent, etc., and I would lose my patience much more quickly with my children."
Lynn Klippel, certified career coach and author of the book Secrets to Surviving His Job Loss: A Workbook for Wives of the Unexpectedly Unemployed