Battle of the Moms Essay -- Sociology, Motherhood, Working Mothers

â€Å"Motherhood has become a flash point for envy, resentment, and guilt because everyone struggles and envies what the other has† (nymag.com). There seems to always be a battle between working mothers and stay at home mothers, and the debate has always been controversial. Although there are many factors that differentiate children raised by a stay at home mother and a working mother, there is no right way on how to raise a child. The differences between both moms have both positive and negative characteristics but neither one can be said to be the correct way on raising a child. A â€Å"right way† does not exist. WHY WORKING MOTHERS WORK? â€Å"In the United States today, more than half of mothers with young children work, compared to 30% in the 1970’s† (American Academy of Pediatrics). Working mothers tend to work because they have been working since before they became a mom. They are so accustomed to their job that they decide to remain working after having a child. Others find that their families require two incomes or in some cases their income may be the sole source. Some research seems to persuade that the working mother is having detrimental effects on the child, however new research is showing no such result. INTRODUCTION TO BENEFITS OF A WORKING MOTHER While working mothers may be exhibiting excess stress on their decision to work outside the home any ill emotional and academic effects on their children seem to be nonexistent. In some situations it seems that children who pertain to working mothers actually benefit compared to those of non working mothers. Positive results that were found through studies show that mothers who work helped the family with economic conditions, consequently being able to avoid poverty and being ab... ...oms may choose to not work because of family roles they believe in. Many come from families who believe that the women should be a homemaker. According to society, mothers who stay at home for their children do not have a role that is truly essential (Fisanick 201). CONCLUSION Although according to studies, the status of a working mother or a stay at home mother does not determine a child’s academic ability, it seems as though parenting is an obsession. Both sides feel as though they are being judged by society and that they need to please the standards society is expecting from a mother. â€Å"We need someone to say: Do the best you can. There are no rules† in order for everyone to feel better about their own parenting style. â€Å"None of these parenting patterns is encoded in our DNA. â€Å"Mothering and Fathering are different all over the world† (newspaper article).