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Moms, Your Kids Are Just Fine, Now Get Back to Work, Researchers Say
Filed under: Work Life, In The News, Childcare, Research Reveals: Babies, Research Reveals: Toddlers & Preschoolers, Research Reveals: Big Kids
Stop feeling guilty about going to work. Credit: Getty Images
Researchers at Columbia University conclude that yeah, there are some negative things about mothers working outside the home. But the positives actually outweigh the negatives.
Previous research found that working made you a bad mommy. By working outside the home, other researchers have said, you leave your child prey to all manner of wickedness and ill fortune.
Hogwash, Columbia researchers say. They tracked more than 1,000 children ages 7 to 10 in different parts of the country, looking at family relationships and household incomes. They assessed and evaluated kids' vocabulary, reading ability and test scores. They also asked teachers and parents to rate their behavior.
The London Daily Telegraph reports researchers found working mothers had better mental health and were, therefore, able to build healthier relationships within the family. Plus, they were able to make extra money. And everyone likes money.
Say there's no substitute for a mother's love? Probably not. But with enough dough, researchers found, working mothers can find really good nannies and day care centers and kids benefit from the experience.
Babies were a different kettle of fish -- or jar of stewed prunes. Researchers found newborns suffered a few ill effects if their mothers returned to work before their first birthdays.
Still, researchers found no long-term damage to babies' cognitive and social development.
Children whose mothers worked under 30 hours a week fared the best -- benefiting from the increased household income, better child care and a happier home life, without losing out on parental interaction.
"Prior research has asked a somewhat artificial question: If the one thing that changed in a family was that the mother went out to work, what difference would it make for the child?" Jane Waldfogel, a professor of social work at Columbia and coauthor of the study, tells the Daily Telegraph. "But in reality, lots of other things change the minute she goes out to work, including the quality of child care, the mother's mental health, the relationships within the family and the household income. We've examined all those things."
The new study, published last week by the Society for Research in Child Development, flies in the face of a 2008 study by UNICEF that concluded mothers who went back to work less than a year after giving birth were "gambling" with their children's development.
"The findings reflect what I think many working mothers would say, which is that they have balanced all the different considerations and they feel that they are doing the best thing for their families over all, and yes it's tough in some ways that they are working, but there are also important benefits that come with that," Waldfogel says.
Related: Babies of Working Moms Get Just as Much Cuddle Time
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ReaderComments (Page 3 of 3)
8-04-2010 @ 12:32AM
Michele said...This is BULLSHIT and obviously written by a GUY, a LAZY guy who expects his woman/partner to not only do all the WORK at HOME but go OUT and work TOO! No job is more important than taking care of YOUR CHILD. And it IS HARD WORK. If men ever tried it, they would realize that! Of course when THEY stay home with kids, they sit on theri ass and watch TV and DON'T do all the work WE MOMS do so they will NEVER understand!!!
Men should be taking care of the financial aspects of caring for their families and women should either ALSO get a job if they want to, OR have children!!!! It's choice. But don't make your kids pay for your selfishness. Having NANNIES or BABYSITTERS raise your kids?? People who do that are PATHETIC. And usually are the ones with kids with all the problems!!!
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8-04-2010 @ 1:29AM
A'sMom said...1. Get over yourself
2. Not all children are planned (no matter how careful you may be)....soooo are you promoting abortion. If so, thats your on perogative, but anyway.....
3. Our economy sucks, fathers get laid off - or can't pay bills to keep a roof over their families heads or food on table (pretty sure that food and shelter is a top priority in raising a child)....suppose it would be better to live off the government?
4. All marriages don't last....food and shelter are priority to raising child (see above)
5. Some women WANT to work, and that's their own business. Some women (like myself) would rather stay home but circumstances don't allow it.
6. ***Some women are PROUD of the fact that they are raising daughters (and sons) that are learning by example that they can be STRONG, INDEPENDENT and MAKE THEIR OWN CHOICES - all the while being LOVED and CHERISHED.***
We are not talking about being "raised by nannies" here, we are talking about quality child care, during the day, same as school. Or do you advocate against education, too?
7. EVERY working mother that has commented here has been respectful of mothers that stay at home. We all get that it is the "hardest job you'll never get paid for" - we get it. AND we respect that choice, so please respect ours.
8-04-2010 @ 12:39AM
MusicMovesMe said...Jeez...Why do people bother to comment just to be rude and bash one another? Can't people be civil?
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8-04-2010 @ 1:23AM
ByTheNite73 said...I often wonder the same thing, Music...
8-04-2010 @ 1:13AM
Courtney said...This article is so ridiculous.
"Plus, they were able to make extra money. And everyone likes money." - Whoa, great argument you're making there, Real scientific, lol!
"Say there's no substitute for a mother's love? Probably not....but with enough dough, researchers found working mothers can find really good nannies and day care centers" - LOL! Saying a whole lot of nothing here. How is that better than the woman caring for her own child?
" (but) researchers found newborns suffered a few ill effects if their mothers returned to work before their first birthdays...Mothers who went back to work less than a year after giving birth were "gambling" with their children's development." But after a year old, poof! All kids are at the same exact level developmentally and emotionally so they're all good to go. Pay no attention to the warning that came during that first year of life.
"Children whose mothers worked under 30 hours a week (didn't) lose out on interaction." - how do you figure that?
Lastly, this article suggests the quality of 'day care' is actually better if the mom is NOT the one providing it for her own child. Hmmm, I'd be pretty offended if I was a working mom and I read this. If you have to work for money reasons, fine. Do what you have to do, by all means. Who wouldn't applaud that? But if you choose this route for other reasons (especially because you think your child would want it this way, with you gone and someone else spending time with them during the formative years) get real. No one with half a brain is buying this BS
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8-04-2010 @ 1:54AM
ByTheNite73 said...I'm going to have to agree with poster 21, "Alicia". As I'm in my mid-30's now, I was also the child of a hard-working mother and father household. My mother was also restless, and although she was home for myself and my younger brother in our early years, she did go on to pursue a career for herself once we reached our middle-school years. We were lucky enough to live in a close-knit neighborhood, and after school we went to a neighbors' home to play until our parents came home. Did this harm us? Not at all. Instead of having Mom/Dad hovering protectively over our shoulders, we were free to interact with the world and our friends. It was fun, for us! And, later on, we had the responsibility of a key to the home while our parents were working. I never felt "unloved" due to my upbringing by two "working parents". They always had time for us, and I cherish my childhood memories. Although my parents are divorced now, I love them both with all my heart. I know times change. Today's world isn't the same as mine was when I was a child. But I do feel that, as Alicia said, the independence, drive, and self-sufficience (apologies for spelling) I have now as an adult was a result of of my upbringing. Mom and Dad, I do thank you. :)
8-04-2010 @ 2:30AM
ByTheNite73 said...Courtney, not every mother can afford to spend every waking moment with their child. Some DO need to work to support their children. I find that highly admirable.
People will do what they have to do. Sometimes, one can't follow your "perfect mommy" formula. Dissect this article all you want, shred it to bits, and put it under a damn microscope if you find that soothing to your ego.
People will parent how they see fit. YOUR mommy-mode does not reflect upon the others out there, nor is your opinion regarding child-rearing valid for all.
Long story short: It's okay if you're a working mom. And also, shush.
8-04-2010 @ 6:57PM
Jen said...To respond to the ARTICLE, it refers to "cognitive and social development," but nowhere is psychological well-being examined. No one can possibly argue that hired caretakers equal the love and support that a child's own parents provide. Would your child choose for you to leave him/her everyday or choose to spend time with you? Any parent knows there is only one answer to the question. We are told that kids are "resilient" and recover from difficult situations like divorce, but most have feelings they keep hidden. Who would really listen? Most kids are smart enough and in-tune enough to know not to criticize or complain to a parent they are already afraid of having lost. It really does ALL COME OUT IN THE WASH.
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8-04-2010 @ 3:16AM
Eliza said...I work part-time, which puts me somewhere in the middle, I guess. I can see the point of this article--if mom's happy, everyone is happy, and it is true that money is nice--and at the same time I wonder whether the measurables adequately reflect the well-being of the children. I happen to have a child who seems to need a lot of family contact, and for this particular kid, lots of time in institutional care probably would not work. We did have a nanny for awhile, and when it was time for her to move away, it was really very difficult for my daughter. So I arranged my schedule so that I can spend more time with her. And I am fine with that--it's just for a little while. I do get the sense that allocating time and resources to child-rearing is not necessarily valued by society, and I think that is sad. I see a lot of negative comments about stay at home moms, and even professional childcare workers are generally paid pretty poorly for what is very hard work. I don't question that there are good and positive ways to function as a working parent and find the resources you need, but I do wish that non-working and part-time working parents, and even nannies and other childcare workers, were accorded respect equal to the patience and intelligence required to do their work well.
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8-04-2010 @ 3:35AM
Angela said...I respect all moms but I sure am glad my mom was a stay at home mom & my husband agrees cause his mom was also a stay at home mom. Talking about quality time? well there is no greater quality time in a childs life than the time when your child needs you for whatever reason he or she does and your there at that very moment for whatever reason and what ever the age, not 4,6,or 8 hours later. It's just not the same to a child no matter how you look at it. My two daughters are grown now and every so often they remind me of how lucky they felt growing up and how bad they felt for some of their friends who were sad cause they missed their moms cause they had to work. Yes to each his own it just wasn't for me.
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8-05-2010 @ 4:35AM
Alexandra said...Truly, if you were to sit your children down right now and ask them point blank..."Would you rather Mommy be home or at work" what do you think they would say? I asked my son that question, and needless to say, I am home. As a matter of fact, we are just finishing up a wonderful summer together with many memories made. I will look back (and I'm sure he will too) on these days with fondness. I am actively involved with his school, either working in the classroom, or helping out as a boardmember of our parent association. He absolutely loves it when I am there.I will never regret my decision, and I am 100% certain that he won't either.
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8-05-2010 @ 10:55AM
Harmony said...If they're looking at 7- to 10-year olds, I'm not surprised they didn't find a difference. At that age, 98% of children are in school for 35 hours a week, and have been for several years. That means that a woman working 30 hours a week is most likely home with her children whenever the children are home. Which means their home is like a stay-at-home-mom's home for 9 months out of the year, plus they have a higher income. Therefore, this study strikes me as very NOT surprising.
Oh, and I also wonder what percentage of those working moms went back to work when the children entered kindergarten. I would also love to see a comparison between children who are in school and their homeschooled counterparts (because at that age, even the most dedicated room mom is still going to be separated from her child for at least 30 hours a week). Oh, and I would like to see the areas they measured. As another reviewer pointed out, they seem to have left out psychological development. And were they measuring against societal norms (a very high percentage of children attend daycare), or against an independent measure?
In other words, I'd like to read the actual study before drawing any conclusions. I clearly remember one of my engineering classes in college, when the professor demonstrated how easy it was to present the data in a way that showed what you wanted to see.
I do *hope* that some of the findings of the study are right, but I'll be skeptical until I see it.
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8-11-2010 @ 4:48AM
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10-04-2010 @ 6:19AM
Mim said...Why does everyone on here feel the need to post a superior comment?
Instead of pointing out that you have a more perceptive point of view/ level of tolerance and understanding/ amazing children turned absolute perfect role model...blah blah blah...
...can't we just think "That's great!" and smile a comforted smile for those children who are doing fine, and move on?
Instead, its turned into am "I'm Better Than You" free for all...
I can picture an article similar to this...
"Your Mom loves you whether she works or stays at home"
And the children comment:
"My Mom is better because she has a CAREER..."
"Oh yeah? I learned to make 15 layer lasagna from my Mother, not my NANNY..."
"MY MOTHER loves me best!"
As we all assure ourselves each of us is the best teacher...our little ones are learning the great art of disdain (whether hidden behind polite words or otherwise) from Mommy dearest!
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