Communities are not just the blocks, neighborhoods or cities in which individuals live. As Catherine Latterell, in “Remix”, writes: “People belong to many different communities based on their interests, needs, and values, and as these shift, so do the communities they identify with” (86). This broad and expanded definition of community technically supports the idea that working mothers are indeed part of their own community. They are a group of people unique from others because of their dual responsibilities to their careers and families. At some point in their lives, children will grow and leave the home, and working mothers will reevaluate their role in the community of working mothers, just as Latterell indicates in the last portion of her explanation. Latterell also writes in her book that a major assumption of communities is that “they will support us and give us what they need to lead productive and happy lives” (90). A mother in the 1970s, a time when working full time and raising a family was certainly not unheard of but was less common, has one perspective on both these ideas. Another mother, raising her children and working full time at the end of the first decade of the 21st century has another perspective.
Sarah Richardson worked full-time at the University of Washington School of Nursing for about fifteen years, from the mid-60s to the late 70s. During this time she also had a husband, a home and four children. When questioned as to whether or not she felt she was part of a “community” of working mothers, she was initially unclear (and mildly irritated) about what was being asked. She mentioned that there were other mothers who worked with her, but that working and mothering were simply not issues they discussed. She did not look to other moms for camaraderie or support, which may be considered part of what helps to define why people consider themselves part of a community. “I just put one foot in front of the other. I just did it. I didn’t have any other choice, just like all the other working moms I knew,” Sarah said. She indicated that working wasn’t a decision she made for personal fulfillment but that her family needed the income. When asked whether she felt supported by the larger community – her country, her neighborhood or her family - again, she questioned what exactly that meant. “Do you think you worked too hard? Did you feel like you were given help from those around you because they recognized you had more on your plate than other mothers?” the interviewer asked. “Heavens, yes! Of course, I worked too hard. Every working mother works too hard, and there’s no way around it,” she responded. Sarah did not feel that her community “supported her personal goals,” (Latterell 90), but she also did not expect this support. When she was working, she mentioned several times, mothers just did their jobs at work and at home, without a lot of fuss about it. In the 1970s, apparently, communities were not there for working mothers because, as Sarah explained, it just was not necessary. There were likely the same demands on working mothers’ time and attention as there are now, but the community of working mothers and the community as a whole did not stress the importance of giving mothers the resources that exist today. The experience of Sarah Richardson is evidence that working mothers in the 70s did not see themselves as part of a community because at that time the support usually provided by communities was not needed, wanted, or recognized.
The experience of a working mom in this decade is quite different and shows how communities have the ability to evolve. One only has to spend a few moments on the internet “googling” the phrase ‘working mom’ and literally thousands of online networks will appear. One such website, www.workitmom.com, offers at their own site “blogs, resources, and community for working moms.” Most working mom themed websites are very similar to this. Groups of working mothers are able to come together and share their concerns and the challenges they face, and give each other advice on how to best juggle work and home effectively. There are other resources and assistance given to working mothers today as well. According to an article on the website www.equalityhumanrights.com entitled “Twenty-first Century Dad,” fathers play a significantly greater role in child-rearing and household duties than years ago. There are also more quality childcare options available (something Sarah indicated was always a challenge for her), and the community as a whole seems to be less hesitant to acknowledge the challenges facing mothers balancing home and work.
Women today are able to be less apologetic about the desire and the right to work outside the home without guilt. They have resources that help maintain themselves as a community and are supported by each other and by the people around them far more than thirty years ago. Sarah commented at the end of her interview, “There wasn’t much hoopla about the whole thing, this working and being a parent.” Clearly, the community surrounding working mothers has greatly changed since then and the function it serves has changed as well.
Resources:
1. Latterell, Catherine G. Remix: Reading and Composing Culture. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2006.
2. Sarah Richardson. Personal interview. 3 May 2009.
3. Harker, Lisa. “Twenty-first Century Dad.” June 2006. Equality and Human Rights Commission. 4 May 2009 http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/Documents/Gender/Employment /21st _century_dad.pdf
4. Work it, Mom! 4 May 2009.
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