Parenting Help, Stay at Home vs. Working Moms
Parenting Advice, Mommy Wars Rage on, but Who’s Doing the Fighting?
May 17, 2009
Both stay at home and working moms have probably come across hostile postings on blogs and message boards attacking each others’ decision. But statistics indicate that the silent majority may very well be a core group of women supporting each other as moms in whatever choice they’ve made.
Working vs. Staying at Home
In a poll offered by Oprah.com, over 15,000 moms responded to questions about their choice to stay at home or in the workplace. The show based on the poll’s results had the usual sniping and snide remarks, but apparently when moms take time to examine their choices without feeling pressure, the battle lines are far less clear.
For starters, many moms actually admitted to dreaming about switching teams. Of the stay at home moms polled, 36% said they wished they worked. Of the working moms polled, 66% said they would quit to stay home with their kids if they could.
Stay at Home and Working Moms Feeling Guilty and Judged
Where guilt’s concerned, moms share a united front. When asked whether they felt selfish for considering personal or professional needs, 54% of stay at home moms said yes as did 55% of working mothers.
Many moms in both camps also have a common ground of feeling judged by family, friends, or other moms. Those who say they experience this on a regular basis include 56% of the stay at home moms along with 43% of the working moms polled.
What Working and Stay at Home Moms Think about Each Other
Believe it or not, more stay at home moms feel it is possible to give one’s all to motherhood and a career – 71% to be exact. Only 61% of working moms who took the poll agreed.
72% of stay at home moms who responded to the poll claimed they believed staying home with the kids was more difficult than going into the office. In a show of support, 52% of working moms agreed.
On one very important thing both 85% of stay at home moms and 83% of working moms agree. Both say stay at home moms don’t get the respect they deserve.
As moms know, the decision to stay at home or work is not an easy one. Women may be interested to read about parenting help for emotional and financial budgeting adjustments that go along with the choice to stay home with kids.
So, the next time a mom sees a tactless comment on a message board from another mom slamming her choice to stay home or work, she can remember that those abrasive opinions are decidedly in the minority and certainly not a shared sentiment of all working or stay at home moms. If she resists the temptation to strike back, she'll chalk up one less battle in this pointless war.
