Kids' Eye Views on Working Moms

To help silence complaints about how lonely writing can be and how much gripping pencils hurt their hands, my son's third-grade teacher asked me to talk to the class about writing. So, I recently sat on a small, yellow chair, describing to 23 nine year olds the arduous and exhilarating process of slogging an idea through conception, writing and editing until it transforms, like a newborn baby, into a freshly printed book.

The discussion turned to what the kids thought of the book's subject, working vs. stay-at-home motherhood.

Voices, and emotions, began to fill the classroom.

"My mom works at a bank and my dad works three hours away, so my babysitter has to pick me up every day."

"Wednesday is the only day my mom can pick me up. I dream about Wednesday all week."

"My dad works in an office in our attic so my brother doesn't kill me."

"My mom used to go to Africa like, 20 times a year. Now she is home all the time and every day I am surprised to see her in the kitchen when I wake up."

"My mom got a ticket in the parking lot at work that cost more money than she got paid!"

Then, my first-born child, whose mom is holding an entire book about how she has to work or she wouldn't be herself, about how a happy mom is the most important factor in a child's life, about how there is no single right decision that works for the millions of moms in America, spoke up.

"I think all moms should stay home with their children."

And once again, he reminded me of a lesson obvious since the day he was born: Motherhood is not just about moms.

By Leslie Morgan Steiner |  March 27, 2006; 7:49 AM ET  | Category:  Raising Great Kids
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