I am a 30-year-old stay-at-home mom and am part of a Facebook "moms" group, where women can ask for help related to everything from sleep training to fun activities and more. Recently, a woman posted that she is conflicted about staying home with her child. She feels "guilty" about the decrease in household income and for all the years she put into building her career. I commented and simply said that the best person to raise a child is a loving mother. If she quit her job, there'd be five people ready to take it, but if she quit being a mother, there would be no one to fill her shoes. Dr. Laura, you would have thought I was condoning the worst of crimes considering how the other women responded to my comment.
Women said I was rude and hateful and that I was "tearing down other mothers." Not ONE other mother responded with a viewpoint similar to mine. Instead, here's a sample of what they wrote: "I'm jealous of moms who make enough money to put their kids in day care. If I could, I'd be back at work in a heartbeat!" Or "What does it matter if it's the mom's choice to work or not? The children are still in the care of others." Or "Women who choose to work are not quitting as mothers. They are teaching their daughters to be independent."
I am heartbroken by the mothers of my generation, and speechless too. Please keep spreading your message. I heard it loud and clear, and I am my kid's mom. He can't talk yet, but he sure is thankful for it every day. I can only hope that more moms my age hear your advice and take it, too.
Erin
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