Legal News

Is Work the Key to Being a Better 'Professional' Mom?

By Brian Harris

By Jaime Bochet
Of The Legal Staff

Law blog The Careerist, which is affiliated with The Legal, posted an article this morning on a topic that is sure to set tongues wagging around law firm water coolers across the country. Chief blogger Vivia Chen "outs" lawyer-moms who would actually rather be working than staying home with their children full-time.

According to Chen, "For all the talk about women facing work/life balance dilemmas, there's a sector of mom-lawyers who are giddy (maybe just relieved) that they have demanding jobs--and who don't feel guilty about it. They are not necessarily in love with their jobs or superambitious; they just prefer working to schlepping their kids to dance lessons, lacrosse camps, and doctor visits on a regular basis. Though they might not voice it in public, they question the sanity of former colleagues who are now full-time moms."

She goes on to report, citing The Washington Post and New York magazine articles, that mommyhood isn't all it's cracked up to be for some professional women. These women, especially those who have children after spending years dedicating themselves to building their career, bring the same professional mindset to parenting: make it your job, and go at it full-tilt. Failure isn't an option.

But why do that to yourself? That's a lot of pressure these women heap on themselves, their spouses and their children -- and really, is parenting pass/fail?

Chen concludes, "So maybe my friend who says she'd rather put in a full day at work than funnel all her energies to her kids is the one with the more sensible, balanced approach. Maybe her attitude is a lot healthier -- for both her kids and herself."

What do you think?

Full post as published by The Legal Intelligencer Blog on July 27, 2010 (boomark / email).