Lose The Guilt, Working Moms. Your Kids Are Just Fine

Guilt. It eats away at us always. Especially when it comes to work and the long hours so many of us put in at the office (time we’d rather be spending with our children). But new research should alleviate at least some of the working mother’s guilt. According to academics at University College London, working doesn’t lower the quality of parenting.

In fact, the best scenario for children is a home in which both parents work in paid jobs, partly because mothers who work are less likely to be depressed, the study shows. Lead researcher Dr. Anne McMunn said mothers who worked full-time were least likely to have children with emotional or behavioral problems such as hyperactivity, aggression, tantrums or becoming worried or clingy, reports the The Telegraph.

“Children whose mothers were not working at all had the most behaviour difficulties, followed by children whose mothers were in part-time work,” McMunn said.

Of course, studies like these do not take into account each individual’s situation – emotional, financial and otherwise (for example, are mothers who work less likely to be depressed because they’re earning money or simply because they’re following a career path, which many women want to do even if financially they can afford to stay home?). Regardless, if you’re a working mom, the results should put your mind at ease and prove yet again that a happy mom equals happy children.

(Photo: Ryan McVay)