Author: Sandy Francis
Source: ezinearticles.com

At some point in their lives, most women will have to make a choice bewteen their career, and the possibility of raising a family. In the 21st century, is it possible that a woman can have both? The current economic climate dictates that both men and women need to work as many hours as possible. The worldwide recession is hitting home. There are so many permutations. Part time, full time, job share, work from home, self employed. The good thing for potential working mothers is that they have a choice. For women, there are many pressures surrounding the phrase ‘working mum’, mostly from other women, and male employers. Once a mother has made the decision to return to work, there are a thousand things to be concerned about.

Childcare, natural bonding, travel arrangements, time management – the list may in fact be endless. But examination of a gropu of women’s motives for returning to their careers reveals far more than economic concerns. Many young women who had reached seniority within their spheres believed they were being ‘held back’ by their employers, just in case they decided to have children at some point. Many who reached the pinnacle of their careers and then did go on to have children found that their job description would have altered, promotion no longer an option, or their hours drastically reduced. But the argument here is that if they reached senior positions in the first place, it is because they are good at their job.

A child does not alter that fact, but it does alter how everyone else perceives the woman herself. When that woman is balancing a top occupation with organsing a nanny, daycare, transport, shopping, cooking and running a household, outsiders might start to ask questions of her commitment to work or family. Other women often snipe in a backhanded fashion. ‘I don’t know you do it’, can often really mean ‘I don’t think you should be doing it’. Then there is the problem of being made to feel guilty about leaving young children with daycare. Who is really bringing them up? What happens if they are ill? How does that reflect upon the mother? Does she really love her child? For women it seems tough enough without having to answer questions about her maternal instincts. A man is never questioned about his paternal instincts, as men are expected to work and provide a sound basic living standard for his family. A working married mother may wish to continue working to maintain her own standards, enjoy the day with adult conversation, or simply feel like maintaining her own identity. Susan may want to have everyone see her as ‘Susan’, not ‘Eve’s mum’.

But single mothers have the toughest time of all. The alternative to work is a life of living on benefits, which some might accept, but most will not. A single mother probably cannot afford childcare, and has to rely on friends and family a lot more. Working part time, or working from home are great options, but like everyone else, a single mother wants to ensure a decent future for their child. Apart from the financial rewards, working ensures that women feel ‘in control’ of some aspect of their lives. It might not be any fun leaving the house early, and coming home late to cooking and housework, but it tends to lead to independent, solid, rounded children. The days when one or both parents are able to spend quality time with the children makes that time far more special and worthwhile. Working women, on the whole, are far more patient, and tend to do more as a family during their spare time than mothers who are with their children 24/7. While working mums might not be around at all times to be as supportive as they should be, they generally do what they can. Life is never perfect, but until men are able to see a woman’s point of view, it never will be.

Sandy Francis is a recently retired sportsman, who now dedicates his time to his original vocation of writing. His latest website at http://www.dubbletake.110mb.com features articles and solutions on health, fitness, diet, and well being.