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When Mothers Work: Loving Our Children Without Sacrificing Our Selves

Arguing that women should work outside the home in order to have equality and that men need to take up more of the child care burden, the author uses the stories of 12 model families and discussions with psychologists to examine the ways in which middle-class American families can create a child friendly environment in two-earner households. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

272 pages, Hardcover

First published January 22, 1968

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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Profile Image for Kelly.
76 reviews10 followers
October 11, 2007
prepare to be offended. I am really enjoying this book, but taking it with a grain of salt. It is super interesting, and definitely different... but (as most would) she is unabashedly pushing to prove her thesis that not only can mothers work but they SHOULD! Pretty controversial. I don't agree (Why can't anyone have true BALANCE... its all SHAM or Worker bees, but no true in between).

What I do like:

That she is offensive... I like books that make me think and make me defensive. I must be a glutton for punishment.

Her stories about making kids more self and less mom sufficient

That she helps to justify and alleviate my guilt at wanting to work.

That this is actually a new take on American motherhood (she uses non Americans to show our over-obsession with our kids)

That kids do need to be raised in community, that moms are too guilty, and that women do make the family their responsibility at their own peril (at times)

what I don't like:

No balance and no respect for SHAMs... where is the book that really lets moms be moms and acknowledges that we are all good moms and that all families are different.
Profile Image for Mariana.
139 reviews
February 10, 2022
3.5
Second parenting book of 2022. Most of the book was derogatory towards stay at home moms. However, it served its purpose and gave me some information I needed for a speech. Beyond that, what a strange take on motherhood.
Profile Image for Andrea.
1,121 reviews1 follower
June 3, 2010
This book was also sent to me by the employee assistance program. I only read part of the first chapter. It seems ridiculously biased. I don't know if I will pick it up again or not.

Three months after I wrote the above bit, I found the book on my desk and started reading it. There were a few interesting parts, but mostly I didn't like it. For one thing, it was crazy out of date which was especially noticeable when she talks about the costs of living. Also, all of the families that she used as examples are nothing like my family or like anybody I know so it didn't seem to me that she was proving her point.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews