The Bernard L. Pacella, MD Parent Child Center

Resources: Expert Opinion

Should A Mother Work Or Should She Be Home Full Time?

By Leon Hoffman, MD

Wall Street Jounal, January 1997

Your Dec. 28 article, "Some daughters of 'Supermoms' plan to take another path" points to the inevitable tension that occurs between one generation and succeeding ones. Each generation develops its own standards - some similar to and others very different from the standards of previous generations. Too often, people who belong to a generation with revolutionary ideas believe that the changes in standards herald a new age that will be continued unadulterated by their children.

Not so many years ago, women in the vanguard polemicized against those women who chose to stay at home and raise their children. Now we may hear and read polemics against working mothers. Working mothers may be told that they are only taking care of themselves, to the detriment of their children. As stated in your article, many women of the new generation say, "My family would come first over my job."

Should the same message be given to all women? Should a woman be a stay-at-home full time mom? Should she work part-time? Should she work full-time? It depends.

Some women are "better" moms because they are home full-time and others are "better" moms because they do work full-time. The requirements of the different members of the family are not always compatible with one another, and each family is a distinct unit with its own demands. Therefore, each woman needs to find the balance which works for her and her family. Furthermore, each generation may build on or change the values.

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