Retaining Careers Contribute to Child Well-Being and Future
Introduction
The purpose of this literature review is to assess various researches into the positive impacts of being a working mother, and to assess whether or not working mothers have positive impacts on their children’s well-being and future when compared to stay-at-home mothers. Evidence suggests that working mothers can serve as good role models and caregivers for their children in comparison to mothers who stay-at-home with their children (Figes 1) (Heinrich 122) (Sherman 1). The labor participation rate of mothers with underage children was almost 70 percent in 2013 (“Latest Annual Data”). These statistics suggest the importance and necessity for women to enter, return to, or remain in the workforce. According to studies, the majority of working mothers are raising their children with confidence and respect towards working women, teaching their daughters to appreciate themselves and pursue their dreams, and providing a loving and nurturing family environment for their children (Greenstein 150).
Methodology
The ten, scholarly sources used in this literature review are compiled of peer-reviewed journal articles, internet articles, and secondary data, such as interviews and information derived from surveys. In regards to locating the peer-reviewed articles, key words and phrases such as working mothers, stay-at-home mothers, impacts of being a working mother, and positive and negative aspects of working mothers were utilized through the online library database as provided by the university. After reading and researching each source and its content, patterns of information regarding the impacts being a working mother began to emerge. Numerous case studies, interviews, and surveys regarding the impacts of being a working mother yielded the same qualitative information. The selection of sources including case studies, interviews, and surveys were vital to the methodology of this literature review because measuring the impacts of being a working mother entails measuring personal happiness, stress level, responsibility, and other personal variables. For the purpose of this literature review, case studies in both the United States and the United Kingdom were examined since current research suggests the importance of studying these implications across cultures. Each of these literary sources provides information regarding the impacts of being a working mother, and three main themes have materialized.
First, working mothers, who balance their professional and family lives, are excellent role models for their children. Second, working mothers retaining their professional career contribute financially to their children’s’ well-being and future. Finally, working mothers have positive effects on their own self-perception and health (Figes 1) (Galinksky & Lapinksi 1) (Heinrich 121) (Sherman 1). Societal change and pointed research suggests that working mothers are capable of balancing family and professional commitments and continue to have productive professional lives (Greenstein 151). Respect for women as equals and their ability to contribute financially to their family's well-being and future are among many positive examples.
The Positive Impacts of Working Mothers
Interest in Education
Arguably, children of stay-at-home mothers fail to see the merits of being educated, further suggesting that parental education, and employment by association, is paramount in impacting young children (Figes 1) (Booth 1). Moreover, studies have found that children whose parents both work earn higher grades in school and score higher on intelligence tests, while feeling less pressure scholastically (Greenstein 165). While research continues to vary, this may be explained due to the social aspects of learning, a concept that most stay-at-home children do not experience (McMunn et al. 3) (Sherman 1). This finding is worth noting due to the popular notion that children receiving at-home education typically out-perform children that attend school regularly. This notion was based on previous information that stay-at-home mothers give each individual child more attention throughout a lesson than a public or private school teacher (Booth) (Peskowitz).
Working Mothers as Role Models
It has been found that early maternal employment has no adverse effects on children (Greenstein 152) (Heinrich 124). In fact, working mothers with a positive mindset of their home life are able to balance the pressures professionally and personally resulting in a healthy lifestyle and family life. Working mothers act as strong role models for their children. Balancing family and professional commitments demonstrates responsibility, independence, and an achievement-oriented attitude. In addition, studies show that specifically daughters of working mothers raise their children to be independent and not be financially dependent on anyone (Figes 1). They also teach their daughters to be committed to have a fulfilling family life and a fulfilling professional life at the same time. Currently, the majority of mothers working in our country, at least 63 percent, were raised by working mothers themselves (Seagul 162)(Sherman 1). These mothers become the role model a daughter can refer to when the latter is trying to shape her own role at the early stages. The daughter sees by herself that working and spending time with the children is absolutely doable, because her mother had done so successfully. This helps her balance her need to become an independent, confident woman, and the need to become a good mother for their children. They value what their mothers had given them and also value what they are giving to their children, which makes them feel at peace with themselves. Moreover, loving what they do (the fact that they work and raise their children) can make them excellent role models for their children (Galinsky & Lapinksi 1).
Working Mothers Contribute to Child Well-being and Future
The second main theme from a review of the literary sources found that children with employed mothers experience several benefits that children with stay-at-home mothers arguably do not (Heinrich 130) (McMunn et al. 3). Some of these benefits include secure financial stability, more adequate healthcare, participation in extracurricular activities, and increased social skills (Heinrich 132). The question most regularly asked is whether there are more drawbacks than benefits of having less parent-child face time. One would expect a child having a mother that leaves the house to go to work would have behavioral problems, showing that they cannot handle the absence of the mother. Several case studies conducted on social and behavioral problems in young, school-aged children yielded the same results: children of working mothers coped well when separated from their mothers whereas children of stay-at-home mothers exhibited behavioral and emotional problems, showing that they cannot handle the absence of the mother. Furthermore, two separate studies conducted by Figes and Seagul interviewed children from homes of both working and non-working mothers found that in households with two working parents, the children were even less likely to exhibit behavioral, social, or emotional issues (Figes 1) (Seagul 163).
Heinrich (2014) explains that working mothers who earn a greater income than non-working mothers typically spend their extra earning directly on their children (134). Working mothers tend to spend their earned income on things such as nutrition, health care, child care, safety, and opportunities for learning. Researchers have examined how working mothers allocate their time between home and work, which is known as “household production” (Heinrich 135). This allows for working mothers to fairly balance their work priorities with family priorities.
Working Mothers Have Positive Effect on Own Self and Health
The third and final main theme commonly shared among the pieces in this literature review is that working women are not only mothers. Besides the extra money that a woman brings to the family, ensuring a better life for her children and everybody else involved, it also has a positive effect on her own self and health (Figes 1) (Greenstein 161) (Sherman 1). Working mothers have the capability to feel fulfilled at both a personal and professional level. In turn, this can raise self-esteem, confidence, and leadership skills because the working mother is able to balance numerous roles (Heinrich 140).
According to numerous studies, mothers that have a full-time job are happier by the age of 40, compared to stay-at-home mothers, mothers that work part-time, or mothers that have some work history but are experiencing unemployment (Figes 1) (Peskowitz 1). Women that have been in and out of the workforce and are looking for a job, experience the highs and lows of constantly searching for a job that actually rewards them. Unfortunately, this becomes a non-ending cycle that wears on their mental and physical health. The same applies to women working part-time, which offers them less job security, reduced promotion potential, lower pay and fewer benefits. Women from 15 to 54 years old, for example, were included in one case study where the researchers concluded that stay-at-home mothers are more likely to be obese. Indicatively, 23 percent of working women were obese compared to the long-term housewives, 38 percent of whom were obese (“Worker-Mothers Healthiest Women.” 1).
Working women experience stress when trying to juggle roles, nevertheless, the researchers claim that it is only short-term stress and the long-term benefits outweigh any temporary inconvenience of any type. Research shows that women who were, or had been, parents, partners, and employees were less likely to have any serious health issues, compared to women that did not fulfil all three roles. Interestingly, researchers mention that these women’s good health was not the cause, but the result of adopting multiple roles, which clearly shows that women who combine motherhood with partnership and employment end up living healthier, hence happier, lives (“Worker-Mothers Healthiest Women.” 1) (Peskowitz 1). It appears that the choices women make at an early stage in their professional life also have an impact on their health later in life. Indicatively, women that had a full-time job and returned to it after having children, reported feeling better physically and mentally; they felt more energetic, had greater mobility and less depression than others (Figes 1) (Seagul 167) (Sherman 1).
Experts suggest that women may want to complete their education, return to the workforce in a timely manner after having children, and build a work history before deciding to become mothers. This can help to relieve the stress of becoming a parent when the mother is not forced to juggle multiple activities. Frech concludes, for example, that women should not allow critical life transitions, such as parenthood and marriage, result in fewer work and educational aspirations because work is proven to make them healthier. Also, in case of a divorce, a working mother can enter the workforce more easily if she already has a strong work history (Frech 1) (Seagul 165).
The Negative Impacts of Being a Stay-at-Home Mother
The majority of the scholarly sources in this literature review measure the positive impacts of being a working mother based on comparisons of their non-working peers. Therefore, it is equally important to discuss the primary reasons why being a stay-at-home mother has been found to have negative impacts. To begin, a stay-at-home mother is usually a woman with fewer social contacts than a working mother, and there are times when stay-at-home mothers feel isolated from their immediate surroundings. Additionally, the results from personal surveys have suggested that the monotony from daily routines and limited interaction with other adults makes stay-at-home mothers feel frustrated. Being in that state of mind can easily lead to depression, and there are many cases where mothers that lack the needed adult support feel overwhelmed by everything that lies ahead of them (Greenstein 153). According to Sherman, “Mothers who stay at home may face financial dependence and greater social isolation. Persistent unemployment is a health risk for women, as stress from work instability can cause physical health problems” (1).
Despite a stay-at-home mother’s ability to spend more face-to-face time with their child compared to a working mother, experts suggest that it is the amount of quality time that a mother spends with her child, rather the quantity (Seagul 162). Unfortunately, a nonworking mother spends a big portion of her time doing household chores, among other tasks, and may spend less personal time with a child than expected (McMunn et al 4). Arguably, this routine limits the quality time she spends at home with her child or children. Judging by the results, the child of a working mother is more likely to experience quality time with their mother because she already spends so much time away from the child (Peskowitz 1).
Therefore, the idea that stay-at-home mothers spend more quality time with their children may be based on fallacy. Additionally, compared to working mothers, stay-at-home mothers face several different issues. For example, stay-at-home mothers are always financially dependent individuals. Moreover, this financial dependence may affect the entire family’s ability to afford the necessities they need.
Conclusion
This literature review assessed the positive impacts of being a working mother. With the labor participation rate of mothers with underage children being almost 70 percent in 2013, both the positive and negative aspects of being a working mother require further research (“Latest Annual Data” 1). However, for those scholars continuing to insist that working mothers do not make great mothers can easily find the truth by researching how healthy and happy working mothers appear to be. According to studies, the majority of working mothers are raising their children with confidence and respect towards working women, teaching their daughters to appreciate themselves and pursue their dreams, and providing a loving and nurturing family environment for their children. At the same time, these women are earning extra income that can help better the lives of everyone in the household.
However, more evidence is needed on the positive impacts of being a working mother. Currently, pediatricians suggest that a mother’s presence in her child’s life is significant, especially during the tender years from infancy to pre-school age (Peskowitz 1) (Seagul 161). While they do not suggest that mothers should fail to work outside of the home, they do caution that too much time away from their children during infancy can hinder their social bonding (Booth 1). Societal change and pointed research suggest that working mothers are capable of balancing family and professional commitments and continue to have productive professional lives.
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