1) Identify grammatical errors
2) Identify flaws in my paper
3) Suggestions on improvements that can be made to better my paper
Mother vs. Mother
Since the beginning of time, women have been responsible for being both the homemaker and the caregiver. As the years have progressed and times have changed more women are entering the work force. In fact, 61% of the total people employed in America are not only women, but mothers. While many mothers today choose to take on jobs outside of the home, many make the choice of being a stay-at-home mom. The significant differences of being an employed mother versus an unemployed mother include the children's development, the finances, and the impact it has on the mother.
Studies suggest that there is a meaningful difference between children being raised by a working mother instead of a nonworking mother. The way a child develops both socially and cognitively can vary depending on the upbringing said child is exposed to. Research shows that children being raised by a working mother are more independent and tend to have a higher level of skills. They likely are also more likely to participate in extracurricular activities. Many times, children being raised by a working Mother also put into childcare which can greatly impact a child's development. Dr. Lois Wladis Hoffman, a Psychologist at the University of Michigan states:
"Daughters of employed mothers have been found to have higher academic achievement, greater career success, more nontraditional career choices, and greater occupational commitment...earlier studies found that sons of employed mothers in the middle class showed lower school performance and lower I.Q. scores during the grade school years" (Hoffman 1)
In her research, Hoffman discovered that the effects of being raised by a working mother had more negative effects on male children later in life. However, there was no direct correlation of developmental delay in infants or small children being raised by a working mother.
"It was also found that the infant's motor development was positively correlated with number of hours employed per week and degree of choice for the employed mother families... These results suggest that maternal employment may not be detrimental for infants born prior to term. Indeed, it may be beneficial." (Youngblut ,1991)
In many cases, children raised by stay-at-home mothers were proven to maintain better relationships, not only with their parents, but in the future. Being a stay-at-home Mother is beneficial to both the mother and the child(ren). Mothers who choose to stay home with their children, have a better opportunity to bond with their child in a personal setting. This can allow the child to feel secure and allow the bond between mother and child to grow stronger. In a recent interview conducted by Dr. Phil Mcgraw, Phycologist and television personality, he discusses the benefits of staying home with your child.
"Stay-at-home parenting allows for great parent-child bonding, making the child secure, happy and confident in his environment. The one on one (or slightly increased ratio if there is more than one child) attention can be important for making the child feel special and well loved." (Dr. Phil 4)
It is obvious that there are many benefits to being a stay-at-home mother, but there is much more to be considered when deciding whether or not to return to work once becoming a parent.
One of the many things to be considered when deciding whether or not to return to work once becoming a Mother is the financial aspect. Many families simply cannot afford the financial sacrifice, while others make it work in order to allow the Mother to remain home with the children. Deciding to become a stay-at-home mother is a decision that should be thought about in depth and the question of whether or not your family can afford the financial hit is something that must be answered beforehand. For the families lucky enough to be able to afford one parent staying home, there are benefits to learning how to be frugal. For example, if a child is being raised by two working parents, chances are that child spends his/her days in child care. According to the United States Census Bureau, "As of 2013, the cost of daycare has nearly doubled in the last 25 years. Around 7 percent of family income is spent on child care." This means that while having two incomes may be benefitting your financial situation a great percentage of your total income is going to your children child care. If the Mother were to stay home with the children not only would the cost of childcare be eliminated, but according to Trent Hamm, parent and author for the website, "Simple Dollar":
"You're eliminating the cost of daycare, the cost of transportation to work, the cost of clothing for work, the cost of eating out with and entertaining coworkers, and some home costs as well, since a stay-at-home parent can cook meals
Although deciding to eliminate one income from your family's lifestyle may seem scary, there is much to be considered when thinking of the financial results of choosing to do so. Once becoming a mother, it is nearly impossible to imagine leaving your baby behind to return to work, but more often than not, the mother is either the sole provider, or makes a higher income. A mother leaving her job could be detrimental to a family's income. Although we have already discussed the financial benefits of staying home, there are many financial benefits of returning to work as well. For example, if a family has two incomes it is likely that they are more financially stable, and both parents may receive benefits from the jobs, which eliminates the cost of healthcare, while guaranteeing the children have coverage.
As stated above, there is a lot to be considered when deciding whether or not to enter the workforce as a mother. However one of the most important things to take into account is the way the Mother feels about the situation. If a Mother is forced into making the decision to stay home or return to work, it is likely to affect the mother in her parenting role or in her career. One of the most important things about being a mother is learning to put your family's needs before your own. However, there are many benefits to being a working Mother. Mothers who choose to return to the workforce are subjected to daily interaction with people who share things in common, and some even value the time outside of the home.
In the book, When Mothers Work: Loving our Children without Sacrificing Ourselves, Author Joan K Peters discusses the benefits being a working mother can have on the Mother. In her book she uses countless amounts of research and social experiments to form her opinion. In her book Peters states:
"Mothers should work outside the home. If they do not, they cannot preserve their identities or raise children to have both independent and family lives".
Generally, there is an overwhelming sense of guilt mothers may feel when being away from the home, whether it be for work or personal reasons. As a mother, it is never easy to be away from our children.
There are certain mothers who are unable to handle being home the majority of the time. However, many mothers are grateful for the time at home with their children, and the free time to focus on bettering themselves as not only a Mother and Wife, but as a person. Mothers who are forced to return to work often have an overwhelming sense of guilt for being away from the home for extended periods of time. According to Human Resources,
"48 percent of mothers said they wished that they could spend more time with their children, and a number of working moms feel guilty that they're not doing as good a parenting job as they could if they were able to stay home with their kids." (Human resources, 2)
Many times, when considering whether or not to become a stay-at-home Mother or return to work, the Mother may make her decision based off of purely the facts. More important than the facts, are the feelings the mother may be feeling herself. The only way becoming an employed mother or an unemployed mother will benefit the family is if the mother is happy in her role. The only way to thrive is by the mother fully submitting herself and being happy with her decision, whether it be to stay home, or return to work.
As discussed previously, there are many differences in being a working mother and being a stay-at-home mother. According to much of the research conducted, both sides have their benefits as well as their cons. There is so much that must be considered when deciding whether or not to return to work or become a stay-at-home Mom. The role the mother decides to assume can have an effect on a child's intellectual and social development, the financial situation, and even the Mother. In my research I have found that there are benefits to both lifestyles and deciding which one suits your particular need is something that can only be decided by the family.The first sentence should have plural nouns: homemakers and caregivers.
In fact, 61% of the total people employed... mothers. ---- Where did you get this statistic? You should put the name of the source in parentheses at the end of the sentence. : )
While many some mothers today choose to take on jobs outside of the home, many others make the choice to be of being a stay-at-home mom.
Studies suggest that there is a meaningful ---- again here, add a citation to Hoffman if this info comes from her.
Don't capitalize unnecessarily... becoming a Mother is the financial aspect.
In my research I have found that there are benefits to both...can only be decided by the family. ---- I think maybe a different sentence should be here at the conclusion... this sentence says different things... one, that each way has benefits, and two, that a 'family' should decide. I don't think this is specific enough, and I think it's not aligned with the rest of the essay. What is your real conclusion? I wonder what important insight you gained from what you read. It does not have to be the most important insight ever chared, but it's got some magic if you ask yourself, "What is the biggest new idea I got from doing this research?" Share that with the reader. : )
