Working Moms

[lvpenguino]

I'm in the group of exceptional women that call themselves working moms. And yes, we already know how crappy you think we are for working outside the home. We already know you don't think we should even have kids because we were planning to go back to work. I, for one would like to take a second to thank all the working moms for offering encouragement and support to me and for being fantastic service providers and role models.

Thanks to my OB/GYN who is a working mom and was there when I became a mom. Thanks to 90% of my teachers who were working moms who taught me Math, Science, English and more. Thank you for inspiring me to love learning. Thanks to the many police officers, emergency responders and soldiers who are moms. I'm probably alive today because of something you did. Thanks to my boss, who started this company, had twins, grew it into something impressive and served as an incredible example to me when I had my own daughter. Most of all, thanks to my mom, who taught school and cared for someone else's kids, maybe even your kids.

You see, when you make broad assumptions about why I work and how I can possible be a good parent, maybe you should think of some of the other working moms you know. Many of them were raised by working moms and turned out exceptional. Many of them have had a profound effect on this country, on your community, on your rights as a woman and human being.

For the women that wrote on this Website that I am not actually raising my daughter, get an education- it will do you good to get better aquainted with the world and find out that some women can balance a career and a vastly healthy family. For the women that wrote that I'm not shaping my child into the person she will become, I'm pretty sure you're shaping your children into intolerant assholes.

I spent six years in college, waiting to have a family. I did it because I know that making me a better person will only make my kids better people. I'm not just telling them they can be whatever they want to be, I'm showing them. It has nothing to do with money, but has everything to do with self respect.

And for those of you that think you are a better mom than me, with better kids than mine, I'll pit my parenting against yours anyday of the week. I do everything better because I have to. I have less time to do it and I'm held accountable by the person that signs my paycheck. In the process of that, my family comes first, and I have had to learn to do everything upside down. Get up earlier. Go to bed later. Blow off housework until the baby is asleep. Working full-time while going to school full time has prepared me to plan, prioritize and work my ass off.

When you come from a family of bright, motivated women, you get to see over a couple of generations that having a family isn't an excuse, rather a reason to work harder, do better, get twice as much work done in half the time. Being a parent does not excuse you from the human race, although I'm convinced it has excused some moms from good manners.

Do not tell me you are a better parent simply because you're home. And don't tell me, as I have been told more than once on this site, that I don't have a right to have kids because I work. If you're that ignorantly blind and unaccepting, you shouldn't have kids.

[sweetpea532]

Jun. 22, 2009 at 6:14 PM

I agree with your last paragraph so much. I am so tired of the debates on this site and the namecalling! Opinions differ! Let's respect them not shoot them down. I don't think you are less of a parent. I know I am a better parent fo rmy kids now that I am home. My kids suffered a lot when i was gone. My dh was awful. I admire you a lot. I wish I had a job.

[officerjoeys]

Jun. 22, 2009 at 7:37 PM

Hey...you know what I just thought. I know a lot of SAHMs who send there kids to SCHOOL. This means that for much of the day SOMEONE else is teaching  your kids stuff. I used to be a working mom and know first hand the criticizisms working moms get. Now I stay home and hear a lot of SAHM (not all) complain they never get a break from their kids. I think some people are not happy unless they are creating drama.

[mom2maryjoseph]

Sep. 25, 2009 at 6:28 PM

  Thank you Thank you.   I too am tired of hearing I'm not a real mom because I have a job.  HMM  my kids know who I am and they who loves thems and takes care of them.

[elwalters77]

Sep. 28, 2009 at 8:38 AM