Stay-At-Home Moms Are Also Working Women
Mothers who stay at home to take care of their children are also working women. They also contribute to the family despite the fact that they don’t receive a salary. They also get to bed late at night without getting overtime. Although many people find it hard to believe, they perform worthy tasks and they hold perhaps the most beautiful job in the world.
We all know that we live in a world where a lot is demanded from women, women also demand a lot from themselves – extreme efficiency in all areas of their lives. They fight daily in a society that gives them little recognition. They make schedules, look after their children, drop them off and pick them up from school, provide financially for their families, and at the same time take care of their emotional health as well.
It is not easy, and even so there are still millions of women who do this task daily: they raise, educate and reach their success quotas in their respective professions. However, there are also many mothers who willingly choose to postpone re-entry into the workplace after giving birth
Sometimes it is due to a personal choice, other times due to the work context itself or the complexity of finding a new job in which incorporation is difficult. However, it is important to remember that: the woman or man who stays home to take care of their children is also working.
Let’s reflect on this.
I don’t earn a salary, but I work and invest my life in the best project
A child is not only a vital project, they are our responsibility, our daily inspiration and someone to whom we are going to dedicate the rest of our life.
- We know that nowadays there is no shortage of moms who re-join the work force with enthusiasm after taking their 16 week leave.
- About 80% of couples still think that time is insufficient.
- Organizations such as the WHO recommend breastfeeding to extend for 6 months. Therefore it would be logical for social organizations to correspond with the same principle.
Something clear is that our jobs are not always sensitive to these important needs. That is why many women simply choose to stay at home to raise their children.
I stay at home and I am not validating the classic gender stereotype
Up till this day, there is no shortage of people who see it as a great surprise for a mother to voluntarily choose this option. The first thing that people tend to think is that they are “giving up” valuable time that would otherwise allow them to prosper professionally and personally.
- Staying at home however, does not validate or renounce anything. These mothers earn quality time and make investments in their own children in an environment where there is no rush, schedule, stress nor pressure.
- It is also important to know that there are many men who also choose to stay at home. This however is usually when the family has a higher income which allows the father to voluntarily postpone his return to the workforce.
Parenting is a job that takes 27 hours a day
It is not a paid job, there are also no breaks or vacations. When raising children, you will have to have a degree in patience, a doctorate in expertise and a masters in endurance.
- There is little sleep involved, schedules are not flexible and weekends are simply a continuation of Monday.
- Here there are no coffee breaks or Friday night dinners
Mothers who decide to stay at home do not complain about their salary nor will they ever, because there is no better payment than the smile of their children. A goodnight hug, or a shared nap on the couch.
Norway, a paradise for moms and families
There is a fact that we should all have clear: if our social polices invested more in conciliation, a woman would not hesitate to combine both aspects: work and motherhood.
However, today there are many women who see the extreme situation of having to “lose” their job simply because they get pregnant.
As soon as this begins to happen, it means we are failing to advance as a society
That is why one of our highest references regarding maternity leave is Norway.
In Norway maternity leave is 56 weeks (approximately 1 year and 2 months)
- Norwegian moms can choose to take off 46 weeks with 100% salary or 56 weeks with 80%.
- The father enjoys 10 weeks leave with full salary.
- In addition, daycare services are guaranteed. Most companies in Norway actually have one.
- Working hours are on average 37 hours a week.
- They have 20 days of unjustified leave to take care of their children.
- The state provides 120 euros per month until the child turns 18.
In conclusion, the Norway model is ideal for all countries to imitate. It is the only way to invest in equality and after all it also gives value to raising the children that will be our future. We should never discriminate towards a woman who, for whichever reason, decides to stay at home to take care of her children. They are also investing in the future.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
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- Garrido-Rojas, L. (2006). Apego, emoción y regulación emocional. Implicaciones para la salud. Revista latinoamericana de psicología, 38(3), 493-507. https://www.redalyc.org/pdf/805/80538304.pdf
- Marrone, M., Diamond, N., Juri, L., & Bleichmar, H. (2001). La teoría del apego: un enfoque actual. Madrid: Psimática.
- Moneta, M. (2003). El Apego. Aspectos clínicos y psicobiológicos de la díada madre-hijo. Santiago: Cuatro Vientos.
