From my experience, if you’re a working mom, the idea of “balance” just isn’t realistic. You need to set boundaries and ensure you make the choices that allow you to have a fulfilling career and home life, and that means making tradeoffs. It’s about quality time, not quantity. Working outside of the home makes you a powerful role model. You are teaching your children valuable lessons about work ethic, adaptability, organizational skills, empathy and teamwork, which are highly beneficial for their own journey in life.
They instil a strong work ethic in their children
When children see both parents work hard at home and then head to office to provide for the family, they learn that nothing comes easy. A working mother’s daily commitment and shouldering of workplace responsibilities lays the foundation for the next generation to emulate the same.
They teach their kids to be adaptable
Every working mother knows the importance of learning to expect the unexpected. Children can fall sick, the maid may not turn up, and babysitters can take leave. A working mother’s child learns to adapt from an early age – a quality that stands him or her well as they grow into adults who must navigate shifting work/home scenarios.
They showcase the value of teamwork
Every working woman with children knows that her career is possible only because of a certain give and take with her support system. Be it a partner, parents, family members or caregivers, she needs to work with them as a team to ensure that both work and home fronts thrive. Seeing the people who care for him/her adapt, help out and support each other shows a child the importance of teamwork from a young age.
They make their children more responsible
Women who balance work and home need to take care of zillions of activities every week. And with both parents working, every family member needs to play an important role to ensure that the functioning of day-to-day life is smooth. Children who grow up in such circumstances turn out to be more independent and responsible individuals.
They raise more empathetic and caring sons
While the presence of a working mom at home showed no effect at all on sons’ employment, research done by Harvard Business School showed that boys with working mothers are “more likely to contribute to work around the house as adults and to spend more time caring for children and family”.
