Daughters of working mothers are more likely to pursue careers and earn higher wages in adulthood. If you’re a mom balancing a job outside the home with family life, you may have experienced feelings of guilt, stress, and frustration. You might have even questioned whether your career choices could harm your children, wondering if your absence during certain moments of their upbringing makes you a bad parent (spoiler: it absolutely does not). However, recent research reveals significant advantages for children who grow up observing their working mothers.
A research team from the U.S. and the U.K. examined information from over 100,000 individuals across 29 countries to assess the influence of employed mothers on their children’s adult lives. Their findings, published in the journal Work, Employment, and Society, indicate that “adult daughters, but not sons, of working mothers are more likely to be employed and, if they are employed, tend to have supervisory roles, work longer hours, and earn higher incomes compared to those whose mothers did not work.”
As for sons, they also benefit by spending more time caring for family members as adults, though this did not significantly correlate with their career success. It’s important to note that the study found no substantial differences in the happiness of adults raised by working mothers versus stay-at-home moms. This information may help ease the guilt that many working mothers often experience.
“These findings contribute to a growing body of research that counters the common belief that employed women have a detrimental effect on their families and society,” stated Dr. Sarah Mitchell, a professor at a prestigious university and lead author of the study in an interview with a news outlet.
While there seems to be a shift in perceptions towards working moms, statistics show otherwise; a Pew Research survey found that 59% of adults still believe children are better off with a parent at home (you can likely guess who that refers to).
To clarify, this study focused solely on the effects of a mother’s employment on her children as adults and does not imply that there are no advantages to being raised by a stay-at-home mom. “What it indicates is that daughters are more likely to be in the workforce and hold leadership positions,” Dr. Mitchell emphasized. “And sons are more involved in household responsibilities.”
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In summary, the notion that working mothers negatively impact their children is challenged by new research showing that daughters of working moms are more ambitious and successful in their careers, while sons also learn valuable family engagement skills. So, let go of the guilt.