To Work or Not?

Ok, I'm confused. I was told the entire time I was growing up that I should go to work virtually immediately after getting discharged from the maternity ward. I heard that all along until, oh, two weeks ago. Now, only bad moms do that? Hmm. What changed in two weeks? I wonder....

yeah see, there's a really bad assumption in the middle of this study. That "high" class women are more educated. I fail to see that Paris Hilton, the epitomy of high class, is more educated, or Nicole Ritchie, or and of the rich kids hat I nannied for. It amazed me how bored the moms were with their own children and that they had to have "help" raising their kids.

Another BAD assumption is that the rich kids get more stimulation. Let's see, I was the nanny raising the kids, and I was the "low" class. So does that then make sense that my son doesn't get stimulation if I was the one offering mental stimulation to the "high" class kids? My son fares VERY well in school and I participate in his life daily.

When I was raising my two daughters alone I went to a job interview and was asked: "If your children were sick would you stay home or come to work?" As I struggled to answer this question, I realized there is no right answer. I didn't get that job because I was stumbling over my words, trying to figure out what this man wanted to hear. After that interview, I vowed I would never answer that question again and came up with a rehearsed answer if it were ever asked of me again. I truly thought it would never come up -- I thought this had to be a once in a lifetime experience. However, I was wrong. A few years later during another interview, I was asked the same question: "If your children were sick would you come to work or stay home?" I was shocked! At the risk of ruining what had up to that point seemed like a very good interview, I responded: "I will not apologize for not having a wife at home, like you sir, to take care of my children." The owner of the newspaper was very embarrassed and uncomfortable after that. He refused to look me in the eye for the rest of the interview. I didn't get the editor's job that day. However, after a man was hired instead of me and left the newspaper after only five months, I was called and got the job as editor. I was the first female editor that newspaper ever had -- something I'm very proud to claim.
No woman, no matter what her profession should ever feel she has to apologize for not having a good little wife at home to take care of her children. Is anyone asking Joe Biden who on earth is going to take care of his children if he's busy at the Whitehouse? Probably not.
While others may think this type of discrimination is a thing of the past, I know that
sex discrimination is still alive and well in America. Now, the rest are getting to see it played out in the national spotlight. I sincerely hope we learn something from this.
Oh yeah .. the two daughters I raised alone while having a professional career -- one is getting ready to enter law school and the other is in her second year of undergrad, while teaching dance to one elementary school dance team and also a high school dance team. I'm very proud of both of them as they are very proud of me for breaking a few glass ceilings for them.

Hey Newsweek, howbout leaving women alone and STOP trying to PRESCRIBE for them what they should be doing?

Anyone with wisdom knows that the basic conclusions offered here are logically consistent. Affluent children have access to the best education that society has to offer and so they will do better academically. Disadvantaged children's parents would be less educated and so the time spent with mom would not generally be beneficial educationally. This study limits itself to academic performance. I would be interested in a study evaluating the emotional aspects of being a child with no stay at home parent and the affects of various supervision levels experienced. My mom was a stay at home parent and my siblings and I stayed out of trouble and we felt much closer to mom than dad; because he was only home for a couple of hours each evening. Not much opportunity to bond. Adults need to GROW UP, stop being so selfish and put the children first.

For women who work to fill up their days, but don't really need the pay they should consider volunteering. Think of the millions of people who could use a job that is currently being held by someone working for 'fun'. The people looking for work want to put food on their table, clothes on their children, roof over their head but the "Fun" working women are preventing them from doing so. I wonder if they think if God is proud of them.

dd

This makes sense.Basically money and stability help but when you get beyond needs then time becomes more important. My husband died, I was working two parttime jobs before his death but I have to start searching for a full time job for the insurance. My twins are 12 and I worry about after school and summer time when they are 13,14 and 15. But among the parents I see where both work, even where they are divorced, working gives a lot more choices about where a child goes to school, or what insurance is available, or where to live.

As a daycare worker for 30 years now, I see the same results as this study. I frequently encourage educated moms and dads to get their kids home as much as possible. Even the best daycare can't give the individual attention of a parent. I have seen parents listen and change work schedules and cut back on work time to spend valuable time with their precious children.

There is nothing new about this. Studies have always shown similar results regarding daycare, working moms, etc. The topic has been avoided by our "progressive'" media like the plague. Why the sudden change of heart. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm?

There is nothing new about this. Studies have always shown similar results regarding daycare, working moms, etc. The topic has been avoided by our "progressive'" media like the plague. Why the sudden change of heart. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm?

What is the definition of "socioecomonically affluent" mean? If they are, why do women work from such family? I'm not sure this kind of misleading interpretation of mass data helps anyone but the media who gets more clicks by having a eye-catching headline.

Does no one here recognize that this article is a mangled mess? Lower and higher groups? Please show us the criteria. I certainly doubt that my 3 year old is going to benefit from staying at home with a bored to tears mom or dad versus going to an educational day care where he interacts with various children and adults on a regular basis. I guarantee this study is based on irrelevant data. Anyone who knows anything about research and case studies can tell this.

Heck yea! I will be Mr. Mom and get my golf game in shape. I'm 40, single, never married but looking and want kids. I have a master degree in finance but don't use it. As I matured I grew disenfranchised with the American corporate greed. It would give me time to volunteer which I love and I would find a small business to start for extra income.

You guys can't stand it. For decades you people have been telling us that for a woman to be fulfilled she must have a career outside the home. That a woman who stays home and takes care of the house and the kids is missing out on her true potential. Now that Sara Palin has hit the scene you are ready to throw away your whole premise, just for the small chance to disparage this woman. What this artical and study does is exposes just how fradulent the whole feminist case is.