CircleBumpCheckedFilledMedicalBookmarkBookmarkTickBookmarkAddCheckBoxCheckBoxFilled

Are Moms Who Work Part-Time The Happiest?

save article
profile picture of Leah Rocketto
Updated March 2, 2017
Hero Image

The stay-at-home mom / working mom debate will probably continue to wage, but a new survey released today by TheBump.com and ForbesWoman.com gives us a glimpse into what moms of different employment statuses are really thinking and feeling. It suggests that many of those who work full-time and those who stay home full-time aren’t happy with their current roles.

982 women participated in the survey, and of them, 664 were working mothers. When asked if having a child affected their work performance, 34 percent admitted their work performance was slacking a bit and they wished they were home with baby instead of at work. In fact, 47 percent felt they would be happier if they didn’t have to work at all.

Unfortunately, the current economic situation makes staying at home impossible for many women. For working moms, 62 percent say financial circumstances were the reason they chose to return to work. In addition, 48 percent of the working moms and 33 percent of the stay-at-home moms said that being able to stop working is a financial luxury that many families can’t afford.

“Americans are facing more financial pressure than ever, and our survey reveals some troubling cracks in the facade of the have-it-all working mother,” says Meghan Casserly, ForbesWoman staff writer. "More than a third resent their partners for not earning enough to make it a possibility. This raises some significant questions for parents and the companies that hope to keep them in the workforce."

Not only does the decision to work or not affect a mother’s mood (and her relationship with her spouse), but it also affects how they treat themselves. Both working moms and stay-at-home moms feel they sacrifice “me” time to fulfill their roles (34 percent and 58 percent, respectively). They also spend less money on themselves, with 34 percent of working moms and 53 percent of stay-at-home moms spending less than $50 on themselves a month. What happened to treating yourself?

Related Video

“Personal spending and even full-time careers are taking a backseat to raising children and are ultimately having an effect on moms’ overall happiness,” says Carley Roney, editor in chief of TheBump.com. "This survey reveals that whether working or stay-at-home, moms are feeling pressure from their financial situation and partners to choose their role."

With 25 percent of stay-at-home moms feeling that they’ve sacrificed their identity by being at home, and 43 percent of working moms saying they have been made to feel they don’t spend enough time with their children, we have to wonder, do part-time working moms have the best of both worlds? Working part time, a mom makes money to help her family’s financial security, gets to keep the non-mom side of her brain sharp, yet she also has plenty of time with the kids.

save article
ADVERTISEMENT

Next on Your Reading List

Kristin Davis at the New York Pemiere of "And Just Like That..." A New Chapter of Sex and The City held at MoMA on December 8, 2021 in New York City
Why Moms Are Loving Charlotte's ‘and Just Like That’ Monologue
By Wyndi Kappes
78 Percent of Moms Are Overwhelmed by Pumping at Work
78 Percent of Moms Are Overwhelmed by Pumping at Work
By Wyndi Kappes
mother holding sleeping baby at home
Caregiving Reduces Mom's Lifetime Earnings by 15 Percent, Report Says
By Wyndi Kappes
ADVERTISEMENT
mother working on laptop while holding baby
These Are the Best States for Working Moms in 2023
By Wyndi Kappes
working mother sitting at home with baby and breast pump
What the PUMP Act Means for Working Parents
By Wyndi Kappes
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland hugs his daughter Poppy on the ninth hole during the Par 3 Contest prior to the 2023 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 5, 2023, in Augusta, Georgia
Kids Take the Masters by Storm Dressed as Adorable Caddies
By Wyndi Kappes
mother wearing baby in wrap while working on laptop at home
Study: Parents Work Longer Hours Than Non-Parents Amid Recession Fears
By Wyndi Kappes
ADVERTISEMENT
P!nk attends the 2022 American Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on November 20, 2022 in Los Angeles, California
Balancing Acts: Pink Shares Her Journey as a Rockstar Mom
By Wyndi Kappes
Sanya Richards Ross and family
Olympian Sanya Richards-Ross on Motherhood and Finding Balance
By Nehal Aggarwal
Reps. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., Andy Kim, D-N.J., left, and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., conduct a news conference to announce the Congressional Dads Caucus outside the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, January 26, 2023
Congress’ New Dads Caucus Advocates for Working Parents
By Wyndi Kappes
ADVERTISEMENT
Shonda Rhimes attends the 2020 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on February 09, 2020 in Beverly Hills, California.
Shonda Rhimes Shares the Secret Behind How She Does It All
By Wyndi Kappes
MommiNation founders talking at fundraiser event
How MommiNation Is Helping to Empower a Community of Black Moms
By Jen Hayes Lee
Rihanna is seen outside the Dior show, during Paris Fashion Week - Womenswear F/W 2022-2023, on March 01, 2022 in Paris, France
Rihanna Says Being a Mom Pushed Her to Perform at the Super Bowl
By Wyndi Kappes
ADVERTISEMENT
mother working from home with baby on lap
New Report Explores if Remote Work Is Really Working for Parents
By Wyndi Kappes
wood desk at the texas state capitol
Moms Are Largely Missing From the Law-Making Arena, New Report Reveals
By Wyndi Kappes
pregnant woman working from home at desk in bedroom
Remote Work May Have Led to a Mini Baby Boom, Study Says
By Wyndi Kappes
gabrielle union and dwyane wade smiling with their daughter
Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade Champion Community at Home and Work
By Ashlee Neuman
ADVERTISEMENT
Amanda Kloots and her son, Elvis
Amanda Kloots Talks About Life as a Single Mom and Multi-Hyphenate
By Lauren Kay
Meghan Markle and Serena Williams
Meghan Markle & Serena Williams Talk Ambition and Motherhood on New Podcast
By Wyndi Kappes
Alyson Felix and Daughter running on the track together
Allyson Felix’s Last Race With Her Daughter Bookends a Legacy of Change
By Wyndi Kappes
ADVERTISEMENT
Article removed.
Article removed.
Name added. View Your List