Dr. Laura:
I went to law school and passed the bar exam. When I was a lawyer for a non-profit in charge of a runaway youth project, a mother called me from her car phone (back then, a car phone was a sign of success). Her daughter had run away and was living in a group home. I remember she said "We are busy. We have careers. We don't have time for this!" It was the saddest thing to hear that.
I already knew I wanted to be a wife and mother, so when I had my first child, I phased out my practice to devote my time to home and family. I like to say "Lawyers are a dime a dozen, but I'm the only mother to my children." With your voice in my head, I was able to turn around another mother who had gone to Ivy League schools and recently become a lawyer, but who struggled with the feeling that she invested so much into a career in law that she should practice and find someplace else for her children. She was relieved to realize that she didn't need to do that.
We have intense pressure today to earn a paycheck and I've even had a female doctor argue with me during a visit that I should have my child in daycare! Women need to understand that satisfaction in doing a good job doesn't mean they have to push papers around for someone else and earn a paycheck. They can do their best in all they do as a wife and mother. Child rearing takes serious effort to do well. Also, taking care of a home and supporting our husbands so they can do their best in earning the income is more than a full-time job. And best of all, we are our own boss. I like being the CEO! I don't need a paycheck to tell me I'm doing a good job!
Warmly,
Heidi
