Being a mother is a huge responsibility. In today’s society, women are still treated like the main caretaker and are expected to have a successful career.
With that come many side effects that disallow women to be satisfied with their role as a parent and as an employee. Research shows that 90% of mother’s feel guilty about not being there for their kids 100% of the time.
The fact that most women return to their job sooner than they’d like to and the fact that they feel all the responsibility towards their newborn are some of the reasons mothers feel guilty. But both of these factors are things mothers themselves can’t control. These are pressures put on by the unfair maternity leave and the societal norms. While these are things we can not change overnight, women look into other ways to deal with motherhood guilt.
A number of mothers have chosen to work from home, allowing them this way, to be near their children and not abandon their careers. But working from home is not their most favorite thing for some women. Often times, they don’t want to leave their jobs and they feel as if they’ve disappointed themselves, and some of the times they want to leave their job and focus on their babies, but they can not afford to.
The judgment that comes with either of those choices is huge. When it comes to mothers and the ways they choose to raise their children, everyone seems to have an opinion.
Women who choose to stay at home with their babies are seen as unpassionate people, who lack ambition. Often times you hear people saying: “that is so old fashioned”, “that’s not the example she should be setting for her kid”, etc. But when did dedicating your life to your family become old fashioned?
On the other hand, women that choose to work after they've had a baby are seen as insensitive people who would put their career before their family. The struggles these women face day to day to offer their kids a better life in the future are overshadowed by others expectations.
Either way, whatever you choose to do and however you choose to raise your kid, people won’t stop trying to tell you that you are doing it wrong. That’s why motherhood guilt is something almost every woman feels and experiences. It is, at some degree, normal, but it is inforced a lot by social norms and expectations.
Some of these women have found a middle ground. With today’s internet access and other possibilities, more mothers today are choosing to work from home than ever before. This seems like the perfect way to deal with the struggles of motherhood. It is exactly what mothers have been looking for in a long time. It is the perfect solution when you don’t want to leave your baby alone but also doesn’t want to abandon your career. These flexible jobs offer them the everything they need to counteract the stress and worries they encounter.
But just because some women are choosing to work from home, doesn’t mean that that is the right solution for all of them. For some of them, the right thing to do is go to a full time or a part-time job, a 9-5, and get away from the madness for a while. Not to mention that companies today offer almost the same types of benefits to part-time employees.
Author Bio - Ujebardha Bekolli, Mother-Works
Ujebardha Bekolli is a writer for SAHMjobs.com. SAHM jobs is is a job portal designed to bring together stay at home moms and recruiters. The platform also brings helpful articles in the Blog section regarding mothers who want to return to the workforce.
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