in
his development, the father also has the responsibility of educating his
children, and this responsibility is so weighty that Baha'u'llah has
stated that a father who fails to exercise it forfeits his rights of
fatherhood. Similarly, although the primary responsibility for supporting
the family financially is placed upon the husband, this does not by any
means imply that the place of woman is confined to the home....

(28 December 1980 to the National Spiritual Assembly of New Zealand) [71]

72: You have asked, however, for specific rules of conduct to govern
the...

You have asked, however, for specific rules of conduct to govern the
relationships of husbands and wives. This the House of Justice does not
wish to do, and it feels that there is already adequate guidance included
in the compilation on this subject. For example the principle that the
rights of each and all in the family unit must be upheld, and the advice
that loving consultation should be the keynote, that all matters should be
settled in harmony and love, and that there are times when the husband and
the wife should defer to the wishes of the other. Exactly under what
circumstances such deference should take place, is a matter for each
couple to determine....

(16 May 1982) [72]

73: You ask about the admonition that everyone must work, and want to know
if...

You ask about the admonition that everyone must work, and want to know if
this means that you, a wife and mother, must work for a livelihood as your
husband does. We are requested to enclose for your perusal an excerpt,
"The twelfth Glad-Tidings", from Baha'u'llah's "Tablet of Bi_sh_arat".(3)
You will see that the directive is for the friends to be engaged in an
occupation which will be of benefit to mankind. Homemaking is a highly
honourable and responsible work of fundamental importance for mankind....

(16 June 1982) [73]

74: With regard to your question whether mothers should work outside the
home,...

With regard to your question whether mothers should work outside the home,
it is helpful to consider the matter from the perspective of the concept
of a Baha'i family. This concept is based on the principle that the man
has primary responsibility for the financial support of the family, and
the woman is the chief and primary educator of the children. This by no
means implies that these functions are inflexibly fixed and cannot be
changed and adjusted to suit part