The Mommy Dilemma

The big mommy dilemma is that of whether or not they should go to work or stay home. Many mothers feel it is important for them to be at home and raise their child, not leave their child to the care of a sitter or nanny. Other mothers feel like they worked hard to get a degree, or to get into the position they are in at work, and do not want to give that or the income up. The following is a closer look at the big mommy dilemma:

One of the problems with trying to juggle working and being a mom is that in many cases you feel that you really don’t do either job well. This does not mean you are not a good mom, it just means you are not as good of a mom as you would be otherwise. Basically there is only so much time and energy in any given day, and when you have to split that, it leaves both wanting. So, while many moms try to do both to the best of their ability, it is extremely difficult, and thus choosing between the two becomes more and more necessary.

Once a mom chooses, there are some internal struggles she has to face. One of those, if she chooses to go to work, is the guilt factor. This is something that commonly plagues working moms. They feel bad when they miss a dance recital, or can’t make it to a room mother meeting because of work. They worry that their child will think work is their priority, but in many cases they can’t afford not to work as the family counts on their income.

A mom may feel guilt whatever she decides.

If the mom chooses to stay home she may face the problem of tedium. It can be a hard job to stay at home and care for the household and the needs of the children, and often everyone around you, including your spouse overlooks all you do. In addition, it can be hard on a mom’s self esteem. Not contributing to society, the community, or the work force the way other moms do can leave a mom feeling stupid, insecure, or just not very valuable. This is especially true of the days when you run out of patience etc. Moms often find themselves saying, “What good am I? I do not work, and I yell at my kids, at least if I had a job I would be making some money.”

The next thing to consider when it comes to the mommy dilemma is that when you do decide to go back to work, after staying home for a time, it can be a real challenge to reenter the workforce. Either you have a gap in your resume, or you are not as up to date with the times, technology, etc. for your field of study. This can make getting back into the work force when you are ready difficult.

Which is right for you?

This is a question only you can answer. There are obviously some real benefits to children if their mom is home and available during their cross roads of life. However, there are financial advantages, as well as some help in the self esteem department, when moms do work.