ELMHURST, Ill., July 5, 2001 (PRIMEZONE) -- (WITH PACKAGE) More parents are employed than ever before, yet time at home with the kids continues to be a deeply held value for American families.
The U.S. Census Bureau reports that more than half of American's families have two parents working outside the home. Yet nearly two out of three mothers are employed less than full time, and 40 percent of mothers care for their children full time at home.
"Devoting time to raising children is still very much a priority for American families," says Pam Hainlin, President of Mothers & More, a national non-profit organization for women who are sequencing -- altering their career paths in order to care for their children at home.
Only one-third of mothers return to full-time employment within a year of having a baby, according to the most recent Census figures. Though two parents are now employed in most American families, one, usually the mother, is likely to be working part time.
This highlights the growing demand for flexible work schedules for parents, according to Mothers & More.
"Survey after survey shows that parents want flexible work options in order to dedicate more time to their kids," says Hainlin. "Some news coverage of the Census report leaves one with the impression that there has been a massive shift of mothers into full-time employment in the past decade. That's simply not the case."
About 60 percent of mothers work less than full time during the key career-building years, according to Joan Williams, author of "Unbending Gender: Why Family and Work Conflict and What To Do About It." Yet such women often find themselves on a "mommy track," says Dr. Williams. "We have an economy of mothers and others. When mothers choose flexible work options they are often pushed to the margins in the workplace; they do not get proportional pay or proportional opportunity for advancement."
"We want society to recognize the value of ALL the work women do, paid and unpaid," says Hainlin. "The work of raising children is tremendously important work. Women who are employed, by choice or financial necessity, should not be penalized for working part time instead of full time. And mothers who do not participate at all for a time in the paid workplace (41% of women with a child under one year, according to the latest figures), should have that choice acknowledged as a viable work/life option."
Mothers & More has 180 chapters across the U.S., supporting women by nurturing their personal needs and interests during their active parenting years and by advocating for public and employment policies that accommodate sequencing. For more information about Mothers & More, log onto www.mothersandmore.org.
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CONTACT: Mothers & More
Catherine Rogers, Media Relations Manager
(630) 941-3553
mediarelations@motherandmore.org