Ted S. Warren / AP file

The value of a mother's work has decreased since Jenna Kagan homeschooled her then 6-year-old son Hunter. Taking care of house and family would cost roughly $59,000 to have someone else do, a research group found using government data.

If moms earned wages for the work they do around the house and with the kids, they’d be getting a pay cut this year.

The take-home pay that a mother would earn for everything from cooking to handling the family finances would total at $59,862 if she were paid on the open market, according to Insure.com’s analysis of government data on hourly wages.

That’s down from $60,182 in 2012 and $61,436 in 2011, Insure.com’s annual Mother’s Day Index shows.

The drop is because typical wages for some domestic jobs have fallen, said Amy Danise, a spokeswoman for Insure.com.

The Mother’s Day Index tallies 14 jobs that moms might perform, including cooking, driving, cleaning and taking care of the kids, and then looks at Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data for those tasks. Danise said the website compiled its list by brainstorming about typical mothers’ tasks, and coming up with a typical number of hours she might spend on them.

By Insure.com’s tally, a mom’s average work week would be significantly longer than 40 hours - although most moms would probably also agree that parenting requires far longer hours than your average desk job.

The total does not include the wages that moms earn for paid work they do outside the home. 

The Insure.com data is not meant to be a rigorous analysis of the value of domestic work.

“It’s more like a fun way of looking at serious topic,” Danise said.

But some economists have taken a more serious look at the value of housework. A report released last year by the government’s Bureau of Economic Analysis found that adding “nonmarket household production” to the nation’s gross domestic product would have raised nominal GDP by 39 percent in 1965 and 26 percent in 2010.

That figure would include jobs such as cooking, cleaning and child care that both men and women do around the house.

The decline in the contribution to GDP is because the hours women spent on housework fell from 40 hours per week in 1965 to 26 hours per week in 2010, and more women entered the paid workforce. That more than offset the increase, from 14 hours in 1965 to 17 hours per week in 2010, that men spent on domestic tasks.

This story was originally published on Mon May 6, 2013 7:41 PM EDT

Russ Juskalian, 30, is a journalist based in Munich who has reported from Southeast Asia, above the Arctic Circle in Finnish Lapland and from the Himalayan foothills in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

As you’d expect, he writes articles related to his travels. But, unlike most journalists, he also sells his photos, giving him a second career as a photographer.

If that weren’t enough, in his spare time, he teaches classes in science writing, international freelancing and travel writing through an online program offered by the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

“My schedule varies dramatically from week to week, month to month,” he says. “Because I have so many competing things going on — writing, editing images, pitching, preparing for upcoming classes, grading student work — I tend to compartmentalize my time, so that I have a series of tasks that I must get done before moving on to the next ones.”

So-called “slashers,” like reporter/photographer/teacher Juskalian, are part of an emerging trend known as the “portfolio career.” And if you’re the right personality type, it can be an incredibly rewarding — and profitable — career move.

How portfolio careers became so big
Marci Alboher, author of “One Person/Multiple Careers,” defines “slashers” as individuals who’ve created a “portfolio career” involving multiple identities. Their income comes from part-time employment, temporary work, freelance assignments or a personal business — or they work a full-time job, while pursuing other lucrative interests.

Barrie Hopson, co-author of “10 Steps to Creating a Portfolio Career,” says that this  type of career offers a much more fulfilling work-life blend, not to mention a safety net of several jobs—so if you lose one or choose to quit a job, you’ll still have other sources of income.

During the heart of the recession, people took on portfolio careers out of necessity. So now that the job market is improving, why is the slasher lifestyle becoming even more common.

“Increasingly, people are finding that they don’t want to do the same thing day in and day out,” Hopson says. “The traditional, single-track career pattern of the last century (think ladder) is now more difficult to find, and if you do pursue that, you’ll almost certainly have to move between companies.”

That said, portfolio careers aren’t for everyone.

To determine if a portfolio career is right for you, consult your high school extracurricular schedule, suggests Erin Albert, author of “Plan C: The Full-Time Employee and Part-Time Entrepreneur.” Did you dabble in one or more activities, such as theater, music, art or sports?  “If you craved variety, then you’ll most likely crave variety now,” Albert says.

Another question to consider: If you won the lottery tomorrow, and money was no object, what would you do with your life? “If your brain excitedly goes in 50 different directions in answer to that question, chances are that you have portfolio career potential,” Albert says.

If you think that you might be made of the right stuff, consider these questions before jumping into a portfolio career:

* Do you multitask and manage your time well?

* Do you crave flexibility and creativity?

* Are you organized?

* Are you open to new opportunities?

If you answered yes to most of these questions, this path could be the one for you.

Only one of the 46 portfolio careerists that Hopson studied have returned to a single-track career in the past two years. According to Hopson, all of the participants claimed that they were happier as slashers, which is no wonder, since most of them earned more within two years of their portfolio career than they ever did as a full-time employee.

What to do before launching a portfolio career 
Foresee and handle any conflicts of interest. This applies to conflicts both with a specific day job and at the career level. For instance, if you stay at your full-time job, but you need more time to dedicate to other interests, have an honest conversation with your employer to come up with the best solution. Additionally, make sure that your other pursuits won’t negatively impact that career overall.

Only one of the 46 portfolio careerists that Hopson studied have returned to a single-track.

“The good and bad news here is that you have the power to create whatever custom-designed career you want,” Albert says. “But it does take work and an honest appraisal of what you really want.” 

Have at least one consistent line of work. Alboher notes that it’s always smart to have one or two steady jobs, so that you have a base level of income. Alboher adds that many portfolio careerists take the anchor-orbiter approach, meaning one job requires a physical presence at a certain location during a certain time (i.e. office job), while the other jobs (i.e. freelance work) “orbit” around it.

Start a rainy day fund. Put six months to two years of savings in your bank account to support your cost of living … just in case. For full-time freelancers, the recommendation is at least a year’s worth of savings. (Read more on the seven reasons why you need an emergency fund.) If you’d like to create your own business, Albert suggests launching it while still working your day job. Whether you decide to quit or not, saving is an absolute must—especially if you have a family. Albert explains that a person with three kids, a mortgage and a lot of bills has different (and greater) risks to consider than a recent college graduate.

Portfolio careers also have many benefits
“Anyone who has ever been pink-slipped, fired or laid off understands the importance of moving multiple careers forward and not putting all career eggs in one basket (figuratively speaking),” Albert says. “By juggling multiple careers, one can have flexibility and adaptability, which are two key skills every employee in this post-economic downturn needs to have to succeed in the future.”

Plus, if you do choose to return to a traditional work environment, your extensive repertoire and transferable skills from your portfolio career might give you a leg up against other applicants.

Juskalian definitely seconds the flexibility and adaptability comments, not only because his income is irregular, but because his work flow is, too. Depending on what’s going on in his personal life, his schedule can swing between periods centered around friends and family to periods of almost no personal time and all traveling, writing, editing and teaching.

“I find my lifestyle very fulfilling,” he says. “But there’s no doubt that it takes a certain mentality — and a lot of energy — to juggle my career.”

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Amy Craparo / Pinterest

Amy Craparo, owner of Wow Factor Cakes in Charlotte, N.C., uses Pinterest as a portfolio for her creations.

The social media site Pinterest is known for its eye-appealing recipes, wedding pictures and DIY projects – and it’s also becoming a place for pinners to market themselves professionally.

Sarah Gubara of Baltimore, Md., describes her Pinterest boards as a “living resume,” a place where she can show off her accomplishments and her interests. One of her boards includes articles she has written, but the rest are mostly personal: wedding ideas and places she'd like to travel. 

“When you’re applying for jobs, no one has the time to listen to people tell their story,” Gubara said. “I felt that Pinterest displays your personality visually.”

Gubara, 23, works for Maroon PR (she said she “stalked” her future co-workers on Pinterest to learn more about them) said she has been contacted via Pinterest to speak on a panel and to write an article. She has since created a company page that she can pull up on her phone and at a conference or meeting. 

“When you connect with someone on LinkedIn – and I like LinkedIn a lot – there’s not that two-way street. It’s more of a Rolodex,” Gubara said.

Pinterest — one of the fastest-growing social networks with 28.9 million visitors, according to comScore — loves that some of its users market themselves on the site.

“Whether it’s a photographer displaying a portfolio, a local wedding planner showcasing event concepts, or a teacher organizing classroom projects and ideas, people use Pinterest in a number of interesting, inspiring ways for their careers,” said spokeswoman Annie Ta.    

Self-branding on Pinterest can be tricky, however, as the site rewards being personal. But branding expert Maria Elena Duron, founder of marketing firm Buzz to Bucks in Midland, Texas, says that allows employers to get a better read on applicants’ personalities and whether they would be a good fit.

Duron recommends using a professional profile photo – similar to one used on LinkedIn – and writing a short profile in the third-person, using keywords an employer might use in a Google search engine.  

Duron suggests signing up for LinkedIn’s advanced feature – free for the first month – and taking note of which keywords send searchers to your profile. Tweak your LinkedIn profile until you’re happy with who lands on your profile, and then use those words for your Pinterest page. And, of course, list your full name.

“If you’re looking for a marketing position, one of the boards could be greatest marketing books, and you pin every marketing book,” Duron said. Also, she recommends maintaining control of your boards. “Do not share boards for your personal Pinterest page.”

The Pinterest portfolio is a natural for artists and designers but also works for words-oriented people. Duron posts her blog items on Pinterest, which allows a reader to see a bulletin board of her posts. The trick: Upload an image and attach a URL. 

Balance personal items with pins from other boards, says Melissa Taylor, a teacher from Denver, Colo. and author of Pinterest Savvy. “Nobody likes a braggart,” Taylor said.

Some small companies, particularly those in the wedding industry, have also come to rely on Pinterest to display their work.  Amy Crapero, owner of Wow Factor Cakes in Charlotte, N.C., posts her own cakes and also the gowns and haute-couture that inspire them.

It also helps with clients, she said, who find it hard to “communicate verbally what they’re thinking visually.”

“If a client says, ‘I want my cake to be lacy, I can go to Pinterest and do a search on ‘lace cakes’ that they have posted and all the lace cakes will pop up and a variety of styles of lace cakes.”

Wow Factor has three employees and one intern, so Pinterest, which is free to use, has helped in a small way. Craparo said several brides a month walk in after spotting her cakes on Pinterest.

“The first time, (the bride) came in with a picture of our cake -- I don’t know if she realized it was our cake,” Craparo said. “She said, ‘I like this one.’ It was neat to see it unfold as a tool that they’re using.”

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Yannis Behrakis / Reuters

Manolis Ouranos, a 30-year-old cook, works for the Mavros Gatos (Black Cat) tavern in Psiri neighboorhood in central Athens. Manolis studied at Athens Technology University (TEI) for four years where he received a degree in civil engineering. He hoped to find a permanent job in public sector infrastructure but has been working as a cook for four months instead. He now takes cooking lessons which he funds with his salary as a cook.

Nearly 75 million people ages 15 to 24 are unemployed worldwide and the U.N. labor office predicts “the same high level” for at least the next four years.

For eager university graduates in the crisis-hit European Union where one in five people under the age of 24 are out of work, finding a job is almost impossible. However, the problem isn’t confined to the EU. It’s a global problem and the U.N. expects 12.7 percent of youth globally to be unemployed in 2012. The International Labour Organisation also warns that many are trapped in low paid and low skilled jobs and others have simply given up looking.

In order to illustrate the problem, Reuters photographed  portraits of graduates from around the world who have been unable to find work in their degrees and have ended up in service industry jobs.

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•Sign up for the msnbc.com Photos Newsletter

Alessandro Bianchi / Reuters

Francesca Baldi, 32, takes care of a seven-month-old baby in a private household in Rome on May 11. Baldi studied for five years at university in Pisa where she received a degree and a doctorate in literature and philosophy. She hoped to find a job as a teacher but has been working as a childminder for five months.

Lucy Nicholson / Reuters

Jessica Mazza, a 28 year-old waitress, serves a customer at Novel cafe in Santa Monica, Calif. Mazza studied for five years at Ball State University where she received a degree in painting and business management. She hoped to find a job as an artist but has been working in the cafe for just under a year. Picture taken, April 24.

Noor Khamis / Reuters

Denis Onyango Olang (right), a 26 year-old assistant cook, prepares food in a dimly lit kitchen at a hotel in Nairobi's Kibera slum in the Kenyan capital. Onyango Olang studied statistics and chemistry at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology where he received a degree in science. He has been searching for permanent employment for two years but has decided to make a living working in the slums for the last eight months.

Miguel Vidal / Reuters

Tania Leon, a 29 year-old stewardess, poses for a picture inside a bus in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Leon studied psychology at the University of Santiago de Compostela and received a degree in 2006. She was hoping to find a job as a psychologist but has been working as a stewardess for the last two years.

Dado Ruvic / Reuters

Almin Dzafic, a 30 year-old waiter, serves customers in the Galerija Boris Smoje cafe in Sarajevo. Dzafic studied for four years at Sarajevo University where he received a degree in civil engineering. For the last four years he has tried to find a job in art restoration but has been working as a waiter for two years. He sees his future outside of Bosnia and Herzegovina because he can not find a job.

Amr Abdallah Dalsh / Reuters

Wael Abo El Saoud, a 25 year-old farmer, harvests wheat on Miet Radie farm about 37 miles northeast of Cairo. Wael studied for four years at Benha University where he received a degree in commerce. He hoped to find a job as a bank accountant but has been working as a farmer for the last five years. He earns between 30 to 60 Egypt pounds a day but does not work all year round.

Alessandro Bianchi / Reuters

Francesco Foglia, 37, poses for a picture as he works as a street sweeper in downtown Rome. Foggia studied for six years at university in Rome where he received a degree and a doctorate in industrial chemistry. He hoped to find a job as a researcher but has been working as a street sweeper for Rome's municipality for two years. Picture taken on April 29.

Peter Andrews / Reuters

Marcin Lubowicki, a 28 year-old deputy manager of a McDonald's restaurant, shows his university diploma in front of the fast food chain in the Arkadia shopping mall, in Warsaw. Lubowicki, who has degree in Russian language from Warsaw University, has been working for McDonald's since 2007. He is planning to stay in his job.

Stop us if you’ve heard this one before. And if you’re a European, or Asian, or ... pretty much anyone who is not a U.S. citizen, you’ve heard it before.

What do you call a person who only speaks one language? An American.

Certainly the U.S. lags much of the world in foreign language education.  So what’s a parent to do to prepare their young’un for a future where the United States, and all its monolinguistic citizenry, must compete in a global economy?

Learn Chinese? Good guess.

In a ranking of languages, other than English, that are useful in world business, Bloomberg put Mandarin Chinese as No. 1.

What is surprising is those French classes weren’t nearly as much of a waste as you thought. French came in second, according to Bloomberg, which ranked languages based on number of speakers, number of countries where the language is official and other factors including the population and the financial power of those countries.

Arabic ranked as the third-most useful language other than English.

What language do you think is most useful for the new generation of workers?