Member Articles

Last year my kids, both high school students, were on three varsity teams each, one for each season of the school year. They left the house at 7:30 a.m. every weekday; by the time they got home after practice, it was nearly 7 p.m. In other words, I had 11 1/2 hours to myself every day while my children were off living their own lives.

On their way home at night, they would stop at the store to pick up milk and whatever else we needed. (We always need milk!) Fortunately I have my own interesting, rewarding work to occupy me while they are otherwise engaged. But if I were a full-time homemaker, my days would be empty indeed -- and my nest isn't even empty yet! I'm awfully glad I didn't give up my career while my kids were small. At 58, I feel as if I'm just beginning to explore my own full potential -- and that's an exciting feeling indeed.

REASON NUMBER SIX: Your Children Will Be Fine!Torn between the needs of their families and the demands of their jobs, working moms often feel terrible guilt and self-doubt. They worry about whether they’re hurting their children; even when their families need the income, they wonder whether everyone would do better if they gave up their jobs. And they often feel considerable disapproval from the stay-at-home moms who pride themselves on being available for every school pick-up and afternoon play date.

But is it really true that the children of working mothers inevitably suffer? The prevailing assumptions are based on prejudice rather than fact, and the myths turn out to be very different from the reality.