Our achievement-oriented culture is a hostile environment for mothers. Working mothers are criticized for putting career before children and stay-at-home mothers are criticized for wasting their talents at home and not having an income. The hostility worsens when mothers take sides against each other.
I remember the stess I felt working as a teacher's aide. I had less patience because I had spent all day with kids and coming home to my own wasn't something I looked forward to. I was exhausted. My daughter was constantly telling me that I wasn't listening. She had to repeat things because I had zoned out. My brain couldn't take any more in. I had spent most of my day and all of my energy being there for other people's children and had nothing left to give my own. I felt robbed. My daughter was robbed too. All she got was leftovers.
Which is worse? Being a stay-at-home mom who gets no respect in an achievement-oriented culture or being a working mom who can't be everything to everyone? Both choices are stressful. And no matter which role a woman chooses, she deserves respect, especially from other women.
Women should be helping each other, not condemning each other. Working mothers should applaud stay-at-home moms. Many of them are watching their children. And stay-at-home moms should have compassion for working moms. As mothers, we share a common bond, and for the sake of our children, we should support one another.
When women help each other, they ease one another's daily frustrations. Whether at home or at work, mothers should stick together because our children need us. Working mothers and stay-at-home mothers have forgotten how much they have in common. Mothers are mothers no matter where they spend their days. Happy Mothers Day to all moms. Paycheck or not, you have the most important job in the world.
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