Working Mothers Give Themselves Lower Parenting Marks (3/3)

Bennetts is especially upset about the survey question that asked mothers to rate how good a job they were doing as parents. Those working full-time gave themselves lower parenting marks, and Bennetts says other surveys indicate they shouldn't judge themselves that harshly.

"If you compare the children of working moms and the children of full-time homemakers, as social scientists have done for more than 40 years, there is no advantage to the children of the mothers being at home, they don't turn out any better. So I think working women are needlessly beating themselves up with all that guilt that they don't feel that they are good mothers."

Leslie Bennetts says it's important for working mothers to find work that interests them. That helps them feel that the time they spend away from their kids is worthwhile. She hopes the results of this poll will motivate businesses around the country to create more flexible employment options and accommodations for working mothers, so they don't have to choose between job and family.