Janet Parshall Commentary

         The American writer Edger Allen Poe was most known for his gothic poems like The Raven and Annabel Lee.  But he also had something to say about motherhood.

         In his poem entitled, To My Mother, Poe wrote:

“…I feel that, in the Heavens above,

The angels, whispering to one another,

Can find, among their burning terms of love,

None so devotional as that of “Mother”…”

         Let’s face it, moms are important.  But mothers today often find themselves facing the untenable choice of either going to work or staying home with the children.  

         A Gallup poll looked at 323,500 American adults and found that most moms with kids under age 18 wish they could take care of their home and family instead of having to head to the office every day.

         What was also surprising was that among those moms who weren’t currently employed, the majority said they would rather stay home (57%), while just 37% said they would prefer to work.

         Add to this research, a Pew Study where we find a growing number of women who are becoming stay-at-home moms.  While 71% of moms do work outside the home, 29% are staying home. That number is up 6% from 1999.

         Pew also found that despite the fact that most mothers in the U.S. work at least part time, 60% of Americans say children are better off when a parent stays home to focus on the family, while only 35% say they are just as well off when both parents work outside the home.

         There is solid evidence that having mom around for those early, formative years is beneficial, if not crucial. There’s also a new study, drawing on extensive data from Norway, that found potentially dramatic benefits for older children when their parents had more opportunity to stay at home. 

         Yet, this topic is a volatile one where both camps often accuse the other of making the wrong decision.  There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution.

         My husband and I did a lot of praying and number crunching to determine what was best for our family and we did so despite the slings and arrows of outrageous criticism from those who thought we would make the wrong decision.

         No one can tell you what is right for your family.  That’s a decision determined through prayer and the wise counsel from those you trust.  But there’s a sea change happening.

         Millennial moms, who prefer to stay at home, are also a tech savvy generation.  They see the benefits of the flexibility that working from home can offer.  Being part-time or a freelancer can open up some new possibilities without having to make a Solomonic decision about childcare.

         But let’s not forget the single moms in this – the ones who have no choice.  For them, there is often no choice between staying home and working.  Here’s where other moms and the Church can play a key role in offering part-time employement, childcare or a hot meal after a long day on the job.

         “Mother” is a powerful word.  But, let’s not value the word over the woman.  If we think Moms are the best department of health, education and welfare, let’s act like we do and support moms all we can.

         That’s my opinion.  I’m Janet Parshall.