Today's Mothers - The Work Vs. Stay at Home Debate

When I was growing up in the 80's and 90's everyone was telling me how I could do anything that I wanted to. Parents, teachers, friends of family - the women's movement had seemingly succeeded and now it was time for my generation to do all the things that the previous generations couldn't. We were encouraged to take an interest in science and sports and reminded that it was certainly possible for a woman to be a doctor, astronaut, lawyer or even President. Whatever we could dream, we could do. "What about having a family?", some kids asked. The response was usually somewhat restrained. "Sure, you can have kids but don't you want to be President too?" Our generation was reminded time and time again that having a career did not have to mean giving up a family and having a family did not have to mean giving up a career. We could "have it all" and it would be fabulous.

Our generation was also the first where the majority of us were in childcare outside the home ourselves for at least some of our childhood. There were more divorces, more single-parent families, more cases of parents who HAD to work. Then there were the early entries into the "have it all" lifestyle who were trying to break that glass ceiling and still get dinner on the table every night for their families. Those women discovered something that my generation is just finding out. Having it all is hard and most of the time leaves you feeling like you don't have much of anything. The difference, I think, is that those women were working towards a specific goal. They were the first group out there trying to prove that it could be done. Sure, it was difficult, but once the world got used to the new woman's role everything would be easier, right? Businesses would become more family oriented and help women and men to succeed at work and at home. It was bound to happen; it was a revolution after all.