5/1/13
Women’s opinions over whether stay-at-home or working moms are better mothers depends not so much on their own employment status as on whether their mother held jobs during their childhood, according to More magazine.
Nonetheless, the debate over stay-at-home versus working moms is complicated. For many, working is a necessity. Nine in 10 working moms from households earning more than $75,000 a year (91%) say their families are very or somewhat dependent on their salaries. Nearly half (47%) say money is the reason they work and they would prefer to stay home or work fewer hours.
The majority of mothers who work (54%) say a stay-at-home mom has made them feel bad at least once about working full time.
Meanwhile, the same percentage of stay-at-home moms (47%), defined as working fewer than 30 hours a week for pay, feel as if they have been taken advantage of by a working mom. More than three in four stay-at-home moms (76%) have never regretted a parenting decision made because of money. Stay-at-home moms are also more likely than working moms to describe themselves as financially secure (29% vs. 19%).
Dads also have strong opinions regarding stay-at-home and working mothers. They believe stay-at-home moms are better mothers, have better-behaved children, are happier, have more difficult jobs, and are better role models for their children. However, they respect working moms more and think they work harder and have more exciting lives.
One topic that 51% of both stay-at-home and working moms agree on is that the economy contributes to the tension between the two sides.
SOURCE: More magazine, Lesley Jane Seymour, Editor-in-Chief, 125 Park Ave., New York, NY 10017; 212-499-1722; www.more.com.
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