Back on My Soapbox

According to the United States Census, in 1996 the majority (60.2%) of American mothers with children under the age of 18 were working. Well that explains it. That explains why talk shows, magazines, and politicians trumpet the myth that every mother is carrying a briefcase in one hand and a breastpump in the other. Why everyone thinks that mothers universally have one major concern: finding a great daycare.

Now before I start my rant let me just say that daycare -- as in center-based childcare -- is a good thing to be concerned about even if we don't use it. No one who cares about children can argue against that. We need more of it; we need to improve nearly all of it; and we need to support parents as they struggle to make sound, informed decisions that will work for their families. But what the statistic above doesn't tell you is that most of us working mothers (and as an aside here, let me say that I was surprised to learn that I am considered a working mother) don't look anything like that generic mommy with the briefcase heading to the local KinderKare.

Fact: Working mothers are defined by the United States Department of Labor as any mother who works at least one hour a week or one week a year. This is why I'm considered a working mother although my freelance hours are sporadic, I made less than $3000 last year and I don't use outside childcare.

Strange, isn't it? You could be a working mother and not even know it. Do you host lingerie parties? Design Web pages in your spare time? Take in sewing? Help on the family farm? Well then you're a working mom and that story you skipped past in that magazine about how to approach your boss about flex-time was targeted at you.

Fact: According to the 1996 Census Report "Who's Minding the Children" the majority of kids under the age of 5 (about 62%) are cared for exclusively by their moms and dads.

How do we manage this? Some of us are straight-forward mothers at home. Some of us have crazy work schedules so we can trade off care with our partners. And of course some of us work at home. We're chugging right along even though the media ignores our presence, throwing us instead into those limiting opposing camps of "at home" or "at work".

Go To Page: 1 2

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic