Do Working Moms Put Their Kids at a Disadvantage?

The fascination with Sarah Palin comes not only from her unexpected rise, but also from the fact that she is a mother of five, with one child under a year old. While Palin seeks the vice presidency, one of the most demanding jobs on Earth, more than 40 million American moms also balance jobs with motherhood. Do working moms have the best of both worlds, or are they potentially neglecting their children's best interests?

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“Children’s Emotional Development Suffers When Mothers are Absent”
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Children’s Emotional Development Suffers When Mothers are Absent

Suzanne Venker

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According to Public Agenda, the premier nonpartisan polling agency, by an overwhelming margin -- 81% to 1% -- parents say that children who spend the day with a stay-at-home parent are more likely to get the affection and attention they deserve. A child’s emotional development is severely at risk when mothers are routinely unavailable. Young children do not form a strong attachment to a person they little of, and the lack of a healthy mother-child bond can lead to lifelong problems. No matter how much “quality time” a working mother spends with her child, it cannot make up for the number of hours she has been absent.