There have always been strong opinions on whether mums can do it all – can they have kids and a career and be successful at both?
And while some mums do choose to stay at their children, many mums manage to merge the two worlds into their life to successfully do it all. And each to their own we say.
But one mum went viral after she posted her opinions about whether mums should work or not.
American lifestyle blogger Lori Alexander took to Twitter to have her say with a flow chart comparing the apparent cons of working with pros of being a stay-at-home mum.
‘Should mothers have careers?’ wrote Lori.
‘Away from home hours every day OR Home all day long,’ she started.
‘Children w/ others [or] Children w/ her. Comes home exhausted [or] Rests while her children nap.’
‘Dinner is usually fast food or microwaved,’ she continued, ‘[or] Rests while her children nap.’
‘Reads a book to children before bed [or] Reads to children, plays games, disciplines, teaches about Jesus all day long. Weekends = cleaning house + shopping [or] Weekends at beach/park. Too tired for intimacy w/ husband [or] Intimate w/ husband frequently.’
She then went onto conclude that a working mother’s ‘life is falling apart’ and that ‘she doesn’t feel like a good wife or mother’ while a stay-at-home mum’s ‘life is fulfilling’ and ‘her husband and children rise up + called her blessed!’
Twitter users were outraged by the post, defending working mothers and telling the grandma-of-five to ‘stop mom shaming’.
Giving their own examples of how they or women they know have managed to work and be a good mum at the same time, users replied with comments including: ‘My mother was a working mom with a job on Wall St. which she still has today. She was the breadwinner & had 3 children. We all graduated from good colleges, 1 was Harvard. My parents r still happily married. My mom working allowed us the opportunities we have had. She is my hero’.
Another added: ‘My mom does it all without a husband and with a career. You’re little “would you rather” graph is bs and belittling women who exceeded societal expectations and have a career. How does having a career (as a woman) make you a neglecting mother?’
Others pointed out that while some mothers might want to be stay-at-home mum they don’t have any choice but to work, writing: ‘I’m a single mom with no assistance. How am I suppose to support my kids? Government assistance? I’d rather teach my girls to reach for what they want and work hard to achieve it. All that positive self esteem. How horrible of a mother can I be?’
And several pointed out that if people compare mothers, then they should compare fathers too, writing: ‘Where is the “Should Fathers Have Careers” Chart?’
