4 Ways Kids Benefit From Having a Working Mom
Angela Jenkins
| 2 min read
Marleigh and me, swinging
When my daughter was born 3 years ago, I had the pleasure of being with her day in and out for three amazing months – then reality hit.
Back to Work
When I went back to work after having Marleigh, it was so difficult. I felt guilty and knew that I could be missing out on milestones and every day smiles and interactions that I had grown so fond of. All parents can relate to this.
Since my husband was working from home, he was able to take care of our daughter while I was at work – what a relief. He would text me pictures and stories almost every day. Bittersweet. I loved that I was hearing about their day, but I wanted to be there to experience it first hand.
Over time, it got a little easier. And then I found this study. It made me feel better about going back to work after having children – and inspires me while I am currently pregnant with my second child.
The Results
Here is what the study found about working mothers and their kids:
- Working mothers were more responsive and sensitive to their child
- Children had higher teacher-reported achievement scores
- Children had less internalizing behaviors, like anxiety and depression
- Children attended better quality daycare due to higher income
On the flip side, some other findings the study found of mothers who worked full or part-time during baby’s first year were:
- Babies had lower achievement scores
- Children had more “acting out” instances
They think this could be due to maternal and non-maternal care the first year of life. However, the quality of daycare was not evaluated in this study, which makes a big difference in the child’s behavior.The study was conducted of 1,000 children and is not conclusive data of all working mothers and their children’s behaviors.
I am sure if they did a study of stay at home moms and their children, there would be many positive benefits to the child as well. I must admit – I am jealous of the lucky moms that get to stay at home with children, but that doesn’t mean it’s an easy job.
The bottom line is that most mothers value the time spent with our children. Period. It is the quality of the amount of time we have with our children, the memories we make, the lessons learned and the love we share. Here’s to all the loving, caring and passionate mothers’ out there!!!
Photo credit: AngieJenkins
