The Pros & Cons Of Being A Working Mother In Today’s World

One of the best things that this century witnesses is the fact that women are gaining their rights, and becoming a crucial economic demographic in the workforce globally. Today there are working mothers in almost every field, however there are still numerous instances where discrimination and unequal policies mean women shoulder a disproportionate burden that men do not. As we progress to a world where there is no more competition between working moms and stay-at-home-moms, the endless guilt and unrealistic expectations also need to be be diminished with each generation. Here, we examine a handful of pros and cons of being a working mom today, based on available data and studies.

Pros:

Social Life

The working environment can be a regular place to socialize and meet new people that time and family demands may not allow for most working moms. For many mothers in the workforce, taking time away from the responsibilities in the home can serve as an important mental health advantage. The social benefits also extend to the children of working mothers. According to this study from Oxford University and the London School of Economics, kids who attend daycare have a 10% positive impact on developing everyday skills, and performed 10% better socially. It’s time to retire the “working mom guilt” narratives in light of this important data.

Raising Independent Kids

There are numerous studies that show kids of working mothers benefit greatly in the long run in their own lives. One Harvard study found daughters of working mothers earned 23% more than daughters of stay-at-home moms and climbed higher on the corporate ladder (over 33% held supervisory positions, compared to 25% of daughters of stay-at-home moms). A New York Times article titled “Mounting Evidence of Advantages for Children of Working Mothers”, shows that having a working mom has economic, educational and social benefits for children of both genders.

Financial Support

A working mom’s salary can be an important asset for the stability and the comfort of the family. Working mothers make up a significant part of the labor force, accounting for nearly one-third (32%) of all employed women.

Cons:

Less Family Time

Moms who work full-time shifts spend a good deal of time outside their homes that can more likely result in missing priceless first moments for their kids. Pressure at work and expectations that require working moms to spend extra time in the workplace or traveling can also cause a strain on their marriage. Divorced moms can read more about how this will affect their children’s life in terms of custody arrangements. As deciding who will get the children’s full custody will never be easy, you may visit https://www.kanialaw.com/family-divorce-law/can-i-get-sole-custody-in-a-tulsa-custody-case if you want to know more about child custody. Understanding the legalities of the situation might help prevent any future issues.

Exhaustion

Exhaustion and fatigue are common ailments for many working moms, even more so for single moms without the additional support of extended family or childcare. Exhaustion can exacerbate signs of aging and may even indicate other underlying health issues.

Health Problems

Busy mothers commonly take on stress and anxiety most of the time which can affect their health and in turn work or family life. Roughly 9.8 million working mothers in the U.S. are suffering from workplace burnout, according to a this analysis. And cases of burnout are higher among Black, Asian and Latino mothers compared to their White counterparts. In many instances, burnout occurs because there’s not enough support.

For working moms especially, who typically still bear a lot of the share of domestic duties, despite gender roles shifting at both home and work, putting yourself and your health first is always a good idea.

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