Men and women are working harder than ever to survive in today's tough economy. It's a big challenge for low and middle class families to survive. To meet growing demands, it's getting difficult for families to depend on one income. To contribute to family income, mothers are coming forward and joining the workforce. Working mothers are the one who takes care of the family and work outside the home. They may be a single mothers or married mothers. Working mothers usually work to support their family financially. Some of the mothers work, just because they are more career-oriented. Working mothers may work part time or full time. Women are now the primary or only income source for 40% of US households with kids, according to a new Pew survey (Wang, Parker and Taylor, ch. 1). They play a major role in raising their family and doing household chores. There are many reasons that why mothers should work. Working mothers try their best to balance between families and work. Mothers who work outside are happier, have a better level of health and energy, as compared to stay at home mothers. Working mothers are dynamic multi-taskers and great managers. The most important reason that mothers should work is money. Whether a mother is single or married, in order to survive in a fluctuating economy the family needs money. Mothers can never see their family depriving of basic needs. Another reason could be if a mother is earning more than a father then it's wise to continue the job. Also when both mother and father work, two incomes are coming into the house. Because of that family can enjoy the luxuries, go on vacations and fulfill children demands. A working mother is financially independent. If a husband dies or divorces her, she will have no... ... middle of paper ... ...ABOR STATISTICS, 10 May 2013. Web. 9 Dec. 2013. Mann, Denise. "No Risk of Behavior Problems for Working Moms' Kids." Health and Parenting. WebMD, 21 July 2011. Web. 9 Dec. 2013. "Better benefits for working moms ." Jobs & Economy. CNN Money, 21 Sept. 2004. Web. 9 Dec. 2013. "The Harried Life of the Working Mother." PewResearch Social and Demographic Trends. Pew Research Center, 1 Oct. 2009. Web. 9 Dec. 2013. "Working mothers." Encyclopedia of Children's Health. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Dec. 2013. "How To Decide Whether To Be A Stay At Home Mom or Working Mom." Cash money life: Personal Finance And Career. Ed. Ryan Guina. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Dec. 2013. "Stay-at-Home Moms vs. Working Moms." Parenting. Dr.Phil, n.d. Web. 9 Dec. 2013. Murray, Linda, Anna McGrail, and Daphne Metland. The Baby Center Essential Guide ToYour Baby's First Year. N.p.: Holtzbrinck, 2007. 185-88. Print.
...hen these women have outside jobs they are still mainly responsible for childcare and care of the home, the male of the household has not taken on more tasks. This does not level the playing field between genders and causes more stress for the female in the family. In fact, while the male is not providing anymore assistance around the home, some of the childcare is being outsourced.
U.S. Department of Labor. (1980). Bureau of labor statistics: Current population survey. Perspectives on working women: A databook.
Women have always been stereotyped as being the mother who stays home and has the responsibility of the household and maintaining the children. Presently mothers work outside the home, but they still have the responsibility of taking care of the household. “One study of 20 industrialized countries ...
Wang, W., Parker, K., & Taylor , P. (2013, May 29). Breadwinner moms. Retrieved from http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2013/05/29/breadwinner-moms/
However, because roles are changing the truth is in most families people are now negotiating about the work at home. According to David Molpus, studies show that especially among two-job couples there is an agreement about equal sharing at home when the man and the woman both work full time. Mothers and fathers find different ways to contribute to childcare and other household work. They like equal parenting and don't want to leave their children in the hands of strangers. Equal sharing at home gives the fathers opportunity to stay more with their children and to know more about their lives. To do so, working-class couples try alternating their work shifts, and middle-class couples try working at home for one or two days. They both share enjoyment and the sacrifices of their family.
As more and more women continue to move into the workplace, hot debate has arisen surrounding the issues of work and family balance. Many female managers and professionals with young families are leaving the fast track for what has become known as the “mommy track.” Today, as young people are applying for jobs, many now take into consideration a company’s values of a work and life balance. Some say that the pressures of maternity are becoming an obstacle for many women who wish to continue their climb up the corporate ladder. Often times when women become pregnant, they are forced to abandon their careers. Therefore, the following question has aroused many controversial arguments: can women obtain high standards of success in their careers and maintain the best possible home life?
Also, single mothers who do have the opportunity to finish high school, then college creates barriers. These barriers can include unfamiliar college environment, childcare needs, transportation and affordable housing (Megan and Hartmann, 1997), as a result it appears, single mothers upon completion of these programs find it hard to get jobs that generate enough income to support their family (Purmort, 2010 pp. 15-16 ). Another divergent with the labor force of single mothers this research seems to reveal is the sudden shift from financial incentives to dependent on working earning alone (Moffitt, p.17). Working mothers generate larger budgets and find it more difficult to make ends meet than when they received welfare (Edin and lein p.254).
Working women took jobs for various reasons. Some worked to help financially while others took jobs out of desire for a larger role in society. Women's roles in society changed, and so did their households. Some negative effects took place as a result of women working. Family members were under more stress because of the absence of the main caregiver during working hours. Children who once had their mother at home taking care of them were now being cared for by relatives or neighbors. Working women also had added pressures. Not only did they work out of their homes, but after work, they were expected to fulfill their household duties when they got home.
Change in work patterns more mothers are part of the working force making households where both parents are working
Mothers, in most cases, are seen as the essential "caregivers" in many societies/ cultures. A novel or textbook, screenplay or script, Hallmark card or holiday, could celebrate "motherhood," and what it entails, at one point in time. The bond of mother and child is shown to be "unbreakable" and we hear stories of mother's lifting cars to save pinned children, essentially sacrificing their lives in order for their children's survival. Growing up, we might hear that being a mother is an "under-appreciated job; and "all the work mothers do whether paid or unpaid - has social and economic values"(1). Mothers can essentially be the shapers of the future society: able to raise children, and possibly even hold down a job, while still being able to cook and clean. Author Ellen Bravo stated, "Only Clark Kent had to be Superman, but every mother has to be Superwoman" (2).
Presser, Harriet B. “Job, Family, and Gender: Determinants of Nonstandard Work Schedules Among Employed Americans in 1991.” Demography 32 (4): 577–598. JSTORhost. Web. May 19, 2013
Grinberg, Emanuella, and Emily Smith. "Paid Leave Lets Dads Build Parenting Foundation." CNN. Cable News Network, 01 Jan. 1970. Web. 01 Apr. 2014.
The wage gap between men and women is widely recognized, however there also exists a gap between mothers and women without children. While full-time working women without children earn 7 percent less than their male colleagues, mothers earn 23 percent less (Nelson 20). Even after controlling factors such as education, work commitment, and timing of return to the workforce after giving birth, working mothers earn 3% to 5% less than women without children (Miner et al. 60).
When discussing housewifery and working mothers, some women have very different opinions about the two. In the articles “Letter to Working Mothers: Stop Feeling So Guilty” by Margie Warrell, written in 2013, and “The Satisfactions of Housewifery and Motherhood” by Terry Martin Hekker, written in 1977, this is shown to be true. While author Margie Warrell gives advice to working mothers, author Terry Martin Hekker gives her personal life story of being a housewife. From 1977 to 2013, marriage has changed quite a bit. Ms. Hekker discusses her views of being a house wife in 1977 as an over-conservative marriage. Ms. Warrell gives advice to working mothers to help with guilt of not being a housewife, which is a more nontraditional marriage. Both articles have creditable views regarding each topic due to both authors’ personal experiences.
Armas, Genaro C. “More children raised by stay-at-home parents.” The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. June, 2003.