Some may argue that the society should support women who choose to raise their children full time instead of women who abandon their children to day care providers. The findings are significant because more than half of American infants have mothers who are employed at least part-time during their child's first year of life. Many psychologists and parents worry that the time mothers spend away from their babies when at work detracts from mothers' ability to be sensitive to their babies' needs and to provide for their children.
I think working mothers in the United States can relax. A study from researchers at the University of Texas at Austin found no differences in children's social and intellectual development during the first three years of life between those whose mothers spent a lot of time with them in infancy and those whose mothers spent less time because they worked outside the home. They found that although mothers who were employed spent less time with their infants than nonemployed mothers, the employed women compensated by spending more time with their children on weekends and decreasing the time spent in housework, leisure, outside organizations, travel, and social activities. As expected, mothers who spent more of their available time with their babies (regardless of employment status) were slightly more sensitive and provided higher quality home environments, but mothers' personalities, beliefs, and family circumstances were much more important than time as predictors of their parenting.
Overall, the researchers found, whether or not mothers worked during their child's first three years had no effect on their child's social and intellectual development during those three years.
I think that you brought out some good information about mothers working outside the home and mothers that stay home with their children. I believe that it is the quality of time not the actual amount of time spent that is the most important. I have been very lucky to be able to stay at home with my children, but most of my friends have to work and their children have to go to a day care center. Just because a mother cannot stay at home does not make her a bad mom. I think that a safe and effective day care center is good for children that have to be away from their mothers while they work. I feel that at a center that truely cares for the children, they will be just as social and intelligent as a child who stayed at home.
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