The Negative Effects of the Modern Mom

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Modern moms in western culture have a much different role to play than simply caring for their children and their house. According to statistics Canada, 72.9% of women with children under the age of 16 are participating in the workforce. This means that women have adapted a new role where they must balance work, social, and home life and face significant consequences if they are unable to succeed. However, this role shift is almost expected of women in our culture. With such a great majority of women in the workforce, those who have chosen to remain at home are questioned on their decision and criticized by their peers for not being an “independent women”. The idea of the modern mom is glorified in our society, but I’m asking you to think about this idea realistically. In reality, the life of a modern mom imposes more challenges on the mother and her children, therefore forcing society to increase its role in the upbringing of children. When the image of a modern mom comes to mind, of what do you think? A woman wearing a suit? Rushing to practice? Cooking dinner while on the phone? Someone who has it all together? Have you ever thought of the affect that all of this has on the mother? As you can imagine, the level of stress of the modern mom is significantly increased. Due to her heightened level of responsibilities, the she is accountable to more people. Her children look up to her and her coworkers depend on her. There are constantly duties being expected of women both at home and at work. Clearly, the combination of “work and family stress, stress…dealing with role combination stress would require dealing with role stress(ors) of both domains at the same time” (Vercruyssen 376). This means that the combinat... ... middle of paper ... ...nd, Siw Tone. Work/Home Conflict and Facilitation: COR(e) Relations. Diss. Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 2009. Web. 11 Nov. 2013. Robel, Joyce M., Tracey D Jewell, Sarojini Kanotra. “The Effect of Parental Involvement on Problematic Social Behaviours Among School-Age Children in Kentucky.” Springer Science and Business Media. 16 (2012): 287-297. Web. 11 Nov. 2013. Vercruyssen, Anina, Bart Van de Putte. “Work-Family Conflict and Stress: Indications of the Distinctiveness of Role Combination Stress For Belgian Working Mothers.” Community, Work & Family. 16.4 (2013): 351-371. Web. 1 Nov. 2013. Wall, Glenda. “ ‘Putting Family First’: Shifting Discourses of Motherhood and Childhood in Representations of Mothers’ Employment and Child Care”. Women’s Studies International Forum. 40 (2013) 162-171. Web. 12 Nov. 2013

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