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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The Question About Whether Mothers Should Work is Misleading
- From Suzanne Venker
By Suzanne Venker - Author
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Work is still work
The question could be seen as misleading if you don't consider working part-time 'working'. I believe this question is fairly clear to ask if you think that working at all while mothering is damaging to the children. The best interest of the child is to be happy and learn how to function and be a contributing member of our society. If that means to work fine, if that means stay home fine. But to say that by mothers working, their children are neglected or disadvantaged is just untrue.
- Kate
September 30, 2008 11:20AM
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Side: No
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Wait A Minute ......
Shouldn't this argument be on the opposing side? In this article it states that, basically, mothers can have the 'best of both worlds' in terms of working and taking care of their child(ren). How is that a disadvantage?
My own parents had decided on an option relatively close to this so that my mom could be there when we were little and as we grew up, she began working more and more. Meanwhile, my dad worked but we still saw him every morning and every night and every weekend. (Additionally - Who says Fathers can't be the ones to stay home? Or is that not mentioned because it is, just as ridiculously, seen as 'less damaging'?)
There are even options in the category of work. My mom works in my school and as I moved up in grades, she moved up in schools. This way she was always there. Although I'm not saying this is the only alternative, I am saying that there ARE alternatives. I've never been in a daycare in my life, nor have my other siblings. My parents always made sure that one of them was with us at any given point during the day. And I'm sure if there was ever any reason they could not be, that they would place us in the care of our relatives.
I agree with Kate, "But to say that by mothers working, their children are neglected or disadvantaged is just untrue,".
This topic is presented as too vague - yet too narrowed and specific - to adequately discuss.
- Juno February 8, 2009 9:31AM
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This Question is Indeed Misleading
"Should mothers work?" is most definitely a misleading question simply because mothers are already workers. The question should instead be, "Should mothers work two jobs?" If a mother finds it necessary to have a paying career in order to maintain her confidence, happiness, etc., then perhaps she should simply be a career-woman and not a mother. The job of a mother requires 100% of a woman's devotion, energy, and passion. The mother's duty is not just raising some kids when she has the time, it is guiding young human beings along the path of becoming adults. This job comes with its own rewarding payment of raising strong, capable, respectable individuals. Working another career spreads the woman too thin - her work at the office will not receive 100% of her effort, and neither will her children. All in all, adding a career on top of mothering is equivalent to pulling two full-time jobs.
- kas43091
February 17, 2009 8:27PM
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Side: Yes
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100% is a misleading number
You say that a mother's job requires 100% of her devotion, but I disagree. If a mother had to put 100% into her job in rasing her children, she would not be able to do anything else, including a job. While if one decides to to become a mother, that should be a priority, children do not need rasing for very long. 18 years seems like a long time to the child, but really by the age of 12 a child is branching off to become an individual person. Plus, I believe it is impossible to put 100% into anything because in order to do this, one would have to drive everything else from thier mind besides that task. I don't believe that anyone can do that or that they would want to. One should not have to make the decision to become a mother OR a career woman. If she wants both, and she puts effort into both, she should have both.
- Shay
March 1, 2009 5:38PM
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Side: No
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