4 Positive And Negative Effects of Working Mothers on Child Development

Irrespective of our ages, have you wondered why we always exclaim “Maa!” when in trouble?

This calling out is a clear indication of the attachment a mother and child share throughout their lives.

Since ancient times, women have been considered to be the sole child-bearers and caregivers of society. Their duty was only restricted to their home space and taking care of their families. This sense of always belonging at home made the children secure in their lives and well-being.

The times have now changed, as according to a study, almost 60% of the women are working today compared to only one-third in 1950.

Common societal perceptions and the dual role of mothers

Although, in today’s time, the share of fathers in handling various household chores and child caring has increased, women are still expected to be the primary carers in their home space.

This increased role conflict of being a good mother, a good wife, and a good employee sometimes makes it challenging for her just to focus on being a “mother” to her children.

However, it is observed that children who grow up in families of both working parents tend to be more successful in their lives. This dynamic change of working mothers in society has both positive and negative effects on overall child development.

This blog will provide all the possible insight into the impact of working mothers on their children. It will also highlight its positive and negative effects and possible solutions.

So get ready to become the “Momzilla,” who is fearlessly tackling all that comes her way!

The Growing Trend of Working Mothers in India

The ratio of working mothers has been increasing with time. However, the statistics have been staggering.

According to a study, it was observed that almost 73% of women quit their jobs to take care of their children at the age of 30, and 27% returned after a while. Among them, almost 16% handle top leadership roles in their professional work life.

So, before proceeding further, kudos to the supermoms who have been successfully juggling both their personal and professional lives!

Cultural and societal factors influencing this trend

There are various reasons for this in-and-out workspace dynamic by working mothers that are influenced by society, like:

• Inflexible or flexible work culture.
• Lack of child support at home or availability of child givers
• Lack of co-parenting or shared co-parenting
• Financial pressure or comfortable life
• To do away with the “Mommy Guilt” or be a role model to their children
• High career aspirations or the will to be a homemaker

Today’s advancement in technology has progressed our work culture, wherein there is an opportunity to even work remotely or from the comfort of home. This has provided a push for all mothers to excel in their careers.

This tug of war between financial necessity and high career goals has to be beautifully balanced by the role of a mother.

A. 4 Positive Effects Of Working Mothers On Children

Mothers tend to have a huge influence on the overall growth and development of their children right from their childhood. This is because the child considers themselves a part of their mother until six months after their birth. In short, mothers are their first role models for children!

Let us now discuss four positive effects of working mothers on children.

I. Enhanced Financial Security

Children who grow up in families with both working parents witness their lives running smoothly with the two working wheels in the house.

They tend to have more fulfilling lives because of the family’s capability to afford higher education and the ability to live a materialistic and comfortable life.

They are also well equipped with the proper coverage of various healthcare facilities and educational and career opportunities.

II. Role Modelling

According to a Harvard Business School study, daughters of working mothers are known to earn 23% more compared to their mothers.

On the other hand, the sons of working mothers grow up to be responsible adults, favoring gender equality in their workspace and respecting various challenges faced by females. They also grow up to be amazing dads to their daughters in the future.

Children of working mothers grow up watching their mothers juggle home and their work.

They have witnessed their mother’s low and high days, they have noticed their mother’s “never give up” face, and most importantly, they have felt the “best mother” moments.

The mothers ‘resilience, persistence, and determination are what make them push themselves to the best of their abilities, both psychologically and financially.

They see a She-ro among heroes after all!

III. Improved Time Management

Working mothers ought to learn time management to be able to spend at least an hour or two with their children every day.

This requires following a routine. Your habit of scheduling different tasks and completing them in time would serve as an example for your children to follow in the same footsteps.

This would also encourage the kids to stick to a timetable because they have witnessed that fulfilling yours makes you happy!

With time, their time management skills will improve, which will help them throughout their lives.

Also, your right time management would make you happy, and that would help you spend quality time with your little one efficiently.

IV. Social Development

The children often initiate learning social skills by observing their parents. The parents’ interaction with neighbors, colleagues, friends, workers, etc. will all shape the children’s behavior in the future.

Also, in today’s growing trend of nuclear families, working parents opt for one out of three options, that is:

• Grandparents’ call-on-duty: A low-expense and low-risk
• Hire a nanny: High expense, medium risk
• Children's daycare: High expense, low risk

The initial three years are very crucial for children’s social, cognitive, language, motor skills, and speech development.

This is because children form around a million brain neural connections during the initial three years of their life. Therefore, this time demands them to actively interact with the people and their surroundings.

In case the children are placed under grannies’ or nannies’ care, their language skills have a higher chance of developing if they are communicated with in their mother tongue.

On the other hand, children at daycare facilities tend to progress quickly with their overall growth and development.

This is because children hailing from different social backgrounds socialize together by indulging in various activities and spending loads of time together daily.

Daycare skillset for kids: social, cognitive, language, speech, self-confidence, self-identity, cultural awareness, respect, kindness, empathy, etc.

Adapting these life skills at such a young age enhances their relationship-building spectrum in the future.

B. 4 Negative Effects Of Working Mothers On Child Development

The impact of working mothers on children has a sour and sweet effect. The above was the sweet nectar that enabled the kids to learn various life skills to flourish in their lives.

However, no one is perfect, and nothing can remain balanced forever.

So, despite being a mother and having all the pure intentions at heart for your little ones’, there might be instances where your misbalanced time management could have negative effects on your children.

Below are four negative effects of working mothers on child development.

I. Emotional And Social Challenges

According to a study, the absence of a mother could hinder the children’s social, psychological, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral development.

Children of absent mothers tend to be more anxious, stressed, and less happy because remember! Mothers are their first role models!

Young children are brimming with energy and are overstimulated with many new and different things around them. They need guidance in the initial years of their lives to develop their emotional regulation, communication, and social and cognitive skills.

In the absence of their mothers, they feel detached, and this insecurity breeds many self-worth, self-confidence, anxiety, stress, and anger issues.

This is because, in their primary stage of understanding the world around them, they want someone trustworthy to share how they feel. Thus, the children crave lots of love and attention in their initial growth years for their proper development.

In addition, in the absence of their mothers, they would always try to find love and affection elsewhere, and this could make them develop clinginess, overattachment, and fear of rejection from people.

These feelings could further breed loneliness and sadness in children, which might later affect their academic performance as well.

Wildcard to Momzilla: Before their bedtime, ensure you spend at least an hour or two with them by talking about their day, playing a family game, or just watching a movie on weekends together.

This would keep you on track about their day-to-day lives and also give you an opportunity for them to trust you! Remember! For them, you are perfect!

II. Parental Burnout

In a recent study conducted for working mothers in Jaipur, it was observed that 54% of mothers feel drained almost all the time after childbirth and 68% of mothers face a lack of sleep.

According to the NFHS-4 survey, 57% of women in the age group of 15 to 49 were found anemic, compared to 25% of men of the same age group. The reduced BMI during the survey in both men and women also indicates health issues due to present busy lifestyles.

This reduced energy level after work hampers quality time spent with the children, which is important for their emotional, mental, and social development.

With time, the detachment between the children and the parents grows when they consider that their parents have other, more important things than them. Parent’s day-to-day exhaustion becomes their reason to detach themselves and strive towards becoming independent.

However, at times, this detachment could lead to a bunch of other mental and emotional issues in children, if they fail to channel their energy correctly.

Wildcard to Momzilla: Start your day with a healthy workout routine with your kids, be it cycling, yoga, aerobics, or even jogging. Also, meditate together. This routine would boost energy levels and develop patience, persistence, and calmness in both you and your children.

Indulging in physical activities together would not only enhance the bond but also increase the dopamine levels in the brain, which would promote happiness and peace in life.

So, set an early alarm and let-fat-go with your kids!

III. Dependency On External Caregivers

In the growing era of globalization, people have moved to cities and countries to make a living. This has increased the culture of nuclear families.

This sometimes makes it difficult for the other family members to share the sweet load of child rearing with the parents. Thus, the parents choose the last resort of either hiring a personal nanny or admitting their children into the daycare facilities.

Although these external caregivers might help a lot in the active growth and development of the children, the absence of the mother is always felt by the children.

Also, hiring personal nannies without a family member’s presence leaves the parents anxious until the nanny has won their trust.

On the other hand, the daycare facilities have many kids but limited staff. This sometimes makes it difficult for the caregivers to pay very close attention to each and every kid.

Thus, these facilities could also end up making the child an introvert, shy, and sometimes scared, if they are bullied, because every child is different.

If this is followed by the mother’s busy work schedule, her temper issues, frustration, and ignorance, the children begin feeling very isolated, dejected, and lonely.

This thus creates a negative repercussion on their mental, physical, and emotional health.

Wildcard to Momzilla: In case your children stay with nannies or go to daycare facilities, it is of vital importance that you talk to them about their day and keep track of the activities they are involved in.

Apart from this, if your children are left alone with people other than family for the whole day, then it is very important to teach them about the good and bad touch.

Also, have open communication with them so that they do not hesitate to approach you in case something unfortunate happens.

IV. Cultural Criticism

Despite the progress in the country, the traditional expectation of only mothers being responsible for their children’s behavior haunts many working mothers to re-question their career decisions.

For example, if a child is caught doing something they are not supposed to do. Our society would not flinch before placing the entire blame on the working mothers’ lack of attention because of their importance to careers.

This would enhance the “mom guilt” in mothers and also impact their mental health with time.

The constant cultural bantering by society and the improper family support tend to make her stressed and anxious. Her anxiety negatively affects the children as they develop a negative mindset about life in general. Because remember! You are their role model!

Wildcard to Momzilla: It is important to talk openly to your kids about your feelings and share how you feel and how persistence would make you excel. This might broaden their thinking spectrum. Also, they would always find you approachable for their future challenges.

C. 4 Ways For Balancing Work And Parenting

So, considering both the positive and negative impact of working mothers on children, it is very important to balance out both work and parenting to create a healthy life for your children.

Here are four ways to successfully multitask at home and work and become a mentor for your children.

I. Effective Time Management

One of the best ways to spend time with your children is to either indulge in what they love doing or create a new interest for them to pursue.

This would not only channel their energy and keep them busy but would also help them identify themselves by being independent about their choices in the future.

Some of the best ways to spend quality time with your little ones are:

• Cook something together to enhance their analytical and instruction-following skills.
• Have craft time or learn pottery together to enhance their creative and imaginative skills.
• Have fun weekend kids' parties to increase their social, language, communication, and empathetic skills.
• Learn something new together to encourage them to develop curiosity.
• Share your raw life experiences to encourage them to take risks in their lives. This would also help them understand that no one is perfect and everyone tends to make mistakes. It would also make them strong-minded to pursue their life.

Sometimes just sit with them and do your work, be available when they need you, and voila! Their role model won their heart yet again!

II. Involvement Of Both Parents

Co-parenting has become the need of the hour, more than just a wilful individual’s practice. This is because the growing rate of women facing stress and anxiety leads to their mental challenges.

Such mental frustration seems to create a ripple effect on their children’s development, lives, and also their future.

So, it is very important to talk it out with your partners and have a conversation about what and how the shared child-rearing responsibility is to be tackled together for everyone’s betterment.

It is also noticed that a working mother's relationship with her partner has a huge impact on the behavioral and psychological development of their children.

For example, children who have grown up witnessing their father’s abusive and non-supportive behavior towards their mothers would also behave the same way with their mothers. This would later end up impacting their relationships in the future.

III. Workplace Support

It is a time-tested fact that children need their mothers the most, especially in the first few years of their lives.

For example, a mother must be allowed to leave for home or work from home in case her child is sick. This is like providing optimum care to build a healthy future generation. After all, it really takes a village to raise a child!

The amendment of the Maternity Benefit Act of 2017 has allowed two months of leave of a total of 6.5 months of maternity leave before childbirth. This has encouraged various mothers to focus on their children and rejoin their employment later.

Also, the two-month period prior to childbirth is very crucial for both the mother and the child. Therefore, it is considered best for her to rest before her special motherhood days.

Hence, the professional sphere needs to understand that providing the necessary freedom to mothers to work according to their pace and time has two benefits.

That is, it would encourage them to pursue their career further and also bring out their best performance by working in a stress-free environment. A win-win for both, right?

IV. Childcare Solutions

It is very important to choose the right family support systems or daycare facilities for your children to ensure their proper growth and development.

Some important tips for choosing the right childcare include:

• Have a proper background check of the facility by talking with other parents.
• Choose the facility close to your workplace to have easy accessibility in times of emergencies.
• Be mindful of the qualifications of the staff and the overall functioning of the daycare facilities.
• Enroll your kids in an establishment that aligns with your family's ethics and values.
• Ensure your child is given enough attention and is happy when they leave the facility.
• In the case of family support, ensure that your children are paid undivided attention before planning to leave your kid alone with your family members.

Case Studies and Real-Life Insights

Let us now understand various case studies that depict the challenges of the working mother and their successful ability to become a Momzilla!

1. Momzilla 1: Co-founder of R For Rabbit, Kinjal Popat

She began working when her daughter was just one year old and was looked after by her grandmother, great-grandmother, and also the nanny.

Despite three supportive carers, she ensured she spent optimum time with her daughter during the mornings, during office break time, and even in the evenings.

Also, when her daughter joined the school, she ensured to drop her off and pick her up from the school and rejoin the office only after she had spent at least an hour or so with her.

Since her birth, Kinjal ensured she had active conversations with her daughter, which has forged their bond even stronger with time.

However, she also claims that her daughter had always been the top priority, especially when it came to her academics and behavioral development.

This habit that Kinjal inculcated in her daughter since her childhood has made her brilliant in academics and also in other extracurricular activities. Her flexible work enabled her to spend sufficient time with her.

Lastly, she also expressed that despite spending quality time with her to date after work, she sometimes feels “mom guilt” about the things that she has missed out on.

2. Momzilla 2: An Employee At R For Rabbit

Margi Upadhyay, an employee at R for Rabbit works full-time. She began working while her son was just six months old. However, in this case, it was the grandparents who looked after the baby.

Her initial journey has been a little challenging, as she would breastfeed in the morning, pump milk, and then again go back home for the feed during her break time.

She also remembers how her son would get cranky sometimes during his mom’s absence, but her constant active interactions bonded them closer.

It was once her son began going to school that he was taught that just like kids go to school, moms go to work!

This realization has shaped his thinking for life, and today, he is very proud and cooperative with his mother’s working schedule.

3. Momzilla 3: An Employee At R For Rabbit

Yasmin Pandya is also a full-time employee at R for Rabbit. She restarted her work when her kid turned two years old.

However, since there was little family support nearby, she and her partner opted to admit their child to a daycare facility.

Her kid would attend school till noon, after which he would be at daycare till 7 pm. She also remembers how he loved being there and never wanted to leave.

Also, since he is shy, he did make a few friends but was very active in various extracurricular activities, and his homework was also taken care of at the facility.

She also recalled an incident when he was five years old and he suddenly began self-feeding. This was a shock to both parents, as that had never happened before.

His screen time was also negligible since the daycare facilities restrain the kids from it. His positive development since his childhood has shaped him to be an active and brilliant kid today.

These three instances are a clear example that the “working mothers” are never the problem, but the quality of maternal time spent matters!

All three momzillas ensured they spent efficient time with their children, and their active communication is what kept them attached to their mothers. Kudos! Moms!

Addressing The Myths Around Working Mothers

There are some common misconceptions of society about working mothers that hamper their overall well-being. This includes:

#Myth 1: The children of working mothers have bad behavior.

#Myth 2: Working mothers are selfish to prioritize their careers over kids.

#Myth 3: Children need their mothers 24/7.

#Myth 4: Working mothers are not fit for child-rearing.

#Myth 5: Child development suffers due to working mothers.

#Myth 6: Stay-at-home moms are always better for good child development.

However, this blog has given enough examples that might help you debunk these traditional age-old beliefs about working mothers.

Mothers today are no less than a one-woman army for their respective families. They juggle lunch boxes, homework, husbands’ ties and wallets, and presentations all at once with ease!

Expert Opinions And Research Findings

According to psychological research, mothers’ employment has almost negligible influence on child development. What matters is the quality of time spent with the child.

It is also observed that the kids whose mothers have higher education tend to involve themselves more with the kids by doing some structured and beneficial activity with them together, compared to the mothers who have low qualifications.

Thus, this proves that it isn’t the “working” quotient of a mother that impacts the child's development, but her intensity of involvement does.

Conclusion

Motherhood is a beautiful journey that starts with females bringing tiny humans into this world. Sometimes, along the way, a few of them quit jobs permanently while some others rejoin after a pause.

Also, according to the 2020 report of Women In Informal Employment: Globalising and Organising (WIEGO), almost 17.9 million women in India work from home, and almost 12.48 million among them are involved in non-agricultural jobs.

This certainly involves tonnes of mothers, who are working fearlessly while wearing the tag of “Momzilla”, thus balancing both their family and work with ease.

The She-roes among heroes after all!

Worth To Rread

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