Common Challenges for Working Mothers

All mothers share in the common task of parenting their children and the inherent responsibilities of nurturing, teaching, guiding and loving them. The term "working mothers" is really an oxymoron! All mothers are working mothers! For the sake of argument we will assume the term "working mothers" refers to mothers who work outside the home in this article. Working mothers face an additional dizzying array of tasks and duties to be performed on a daily basis over and above those of mothers who don't work outside the home.

Whether working mothers select in-home childcare by a nanny or babysitter or children need to be transported to daycare, working mothers must ensure all required supplies, equipment, clothes, diapers, etc. are ready, accessible and available for the day. Working mothers of older children need to pass out lunch money or pack lunches, double-check backpacks, be sure any required forms are signed and everything children need for the day actually make it out the door with the children.

Working mothers not only have the challenge of getting themselves and their children up and dressed and out the door, every aspect of their working lives is impacted by their parenting responsibilities. If a child is sick, working mothers must arrange for emergency care and/or schedule a doctor appointment for the child.

Working mothers also have to call out from work or negotiate with the child's father to switch off at mid-day so neither parent misses a full day of work. Some employers don't allow paid time off to care for children, so working mothers face the potential loss of pay when a child is ill or needs to have a regular medical checkup.

Working mothers begin their second job when they leave the workplace every day. Dinner must be prepared, laundry done, children bathed, homework completed, dishes washed and children put to bed before mom's evening activities begin!

Cleaning, menu planning, grocery shopping, even filling the car with gas, picking up the dry cleaning and other errands must be completed by working mothers on the way home from work, after children are in bed or on the weekends. Working mothers face juggling errands, spending time with a spouse and/or children and having personal time alone or with friends.

Working mothers may face career challenges as well. Working mothers must schedule time off work to take children to routine and sick visit doctor appointments, sometimes unexpectedly. Working mothers of school aged children may need to take time off work to attend school functions or after school athletics or other activities in which their children participate that take place during work hours.

Working mothers may have problems if they're required to work late without advance notice. Day care centers charge extra for picking children up late. It may also be necessary to make emergency child care arrangements in order work late. Working mothers who travel for work are challenged to arrange for 24/7 care for children while they are out of town. Even if the children's father is available to care for children, there are many issues to be handled that normally take both parents.

Working mothers may be limited in a career. They could be passed over for promotions or raises due to her missed time for caring for her child(ren) or other parenting issues.

In spite of the undeniable rewards and positive experiences of being a parent, working mothers constantly strive to balance work and family. It is next to impossible to have the "best of both worlds." Working mothers constantly strive to find the next best option in order to provide for their children.