Working moms, stay-at-home moms – the so-called Mommy Wars can now end – or at least one of them.

According to new research, children whose mothers work during their early years do as well at school as those with stay-at-home mothers.

An analysis of six studies was done, reviewing 40,000 children over the last 40 years. The results? There was no link between mothers continuing their careers and children achieving less at school or misbehaving.

No more guilt, moms?

The myth was that children born to moms in the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s didn’t perform as well in school. But the new research found that children born since the mid-1990s whose mothers worked during their early years did just as well as stay-at-home moms.

Heather Joshi of the University of London’s Centre for Longitudinal Studies said that this “generational change” is thanks to better maternity leave and more affordable childcare.

I’m not sure how other moms will feel about this latest research, however. A March article in the Daily Mail says that mothers who go back to the workplace are valued more than those who do not.

What is the point of these studies? At the end of the day, families make their own choice for what suits them. For some, that means staying home to raise their children. For others it’s going back to work.

What do you think of these latest studies?

More at Reuters.

Author

Maria Lianos-Carbone is the author of “Oh Baby! A Mom’s Self-Care Survival Guide for the First Year”, and publisher of amotherworld.com, a leading lifestyle blog for women.

2 Comments

  1. The interesting issue is what actually happened in the mid 1990s that changed things? I would say that people started demanding descent child care and expecting it too. Maybe some government oversight helped as well.

    The fact is that children do well no matter what the situation if moms are happy doing what they do. Its simple really. Do what is best for you and your family. It’s really not a hard formula to understand.

  2. My mom is home schooling me right now. I’m 16 in the 11th grade. In the future, I would like to have an in home daycare. I would like to actually do something with the kids instead of sit them in front of a TV all day. I think that’s why moms choose to stay at home with their kids because they don’t want to leave them at a daycare. I have my own babysitting business right now and I love playing with the kids and bringing them over fun stuff to do. I bring crafts or a game where we get to move or even a game where they get to learn something new. Also, if the kids have a fun filled day, the kids will have a better night’s sleep. I know all moms like that.

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