One Secret to a Working Mom's Success: Keep Standing

Me, standing in Barbados Those of us who live our lives out loud on the internet subject ourselves to scrutiny. Some comment, "Nobody's life is perfect. These posts must be fake," Those making those comments might even be close to us because they "know our business" and they whisper and gossip and say, "she's so fake".  To those who may read my blog and make such comments, (the trolls) know that I hear you, see you, and completely disagree. 

Working Mom Comments About Mandatory Leave Benefits (#StateofWomen)

A working mom taking a break 
  • Working moms with better leave benefits like their husbands more.
  • Working moms with better leave benefits have healthier kids.
  • Working moms with better leave benefits have happier lives. 


 Paid Leave Makes Working Moms Happier


Working moms who have adequate paid leave benefits enjoy better career advancement, make more money over the course of their careers, and have better sex lives. I don’t have any data to support these assertions. However, I know these as facts. I have spoken to enough women and have many anecdotes that convince me that these statements to be true. These stories told to me by women I know, women I have coached, and those I have read about have made me more than passionate about paid leave benefits for women.  


Mandatory Maternity Leave Benefits For American Women is Possible  


There are so many problems in this world that people what to solve. However, many of the solutions are complicated. Mandatory paid maternity leave benefits isn’t one of them.  Providing mandatory paid leave benefits to women in this country would merely be a recognition of a biological fact. Women are the only members of the species who can become pregnant. And the product of those pregnancies, the babies, require care and have developmental needs.


The fact that America lacks mandatory leave is a major slap in the face for American women. There are many interpretations of this, but from a feminist perspective, none of them are good. Either America is saying that the needs of women and children do not matter or it is saying that only women and children who are fortunate enough to have family support are entitled to contribute to this economy. 

Recently, I read that the Prime Minister of Canada is considering extending the 12 months of leave to 18 month in that country. I also read that Beijing, China provides mandatory leave to working moms as well.

Reading may be fundamental, but it is also disheartening. I hope that my country makes me proud--soon. When communist countries beat you on civil rights issues, the leading democracy should be concerned.

American women need answers. I plan to bring up this issue when I participate in the upcoming United State of Women Summit that is being sponsored by The White House on June 14, 2016. 


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