Working Parent Stories
  • Home
  • Why
  • Stories
    • Index
    • Feedback
    • Submit >
      • Guidelines
      • Updates
    • Inspiration
    • Tips | Thoughts | Ideas
  • Book
    • Amazon-WW
    • Gifts
    • Borrow Book
    • Book Club
  • Store
  • Contact
    • Services
    • Connect
    • Subscribe
    • Metrics

Index of Stories

Our Daughters at Work

8/19/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
​If we want our daughters to have the same career opportunities as our sons, we have to do the hard work of creating an environment that enables that.
Recently, we went out for dinner and drinks with two other couples. We're all in our late fifties, and most of us are at slightly different places in our careers; the executive is still going full throttle, two of us retired about three years ago, one guy retired and is now jumping back into a demanding position after some time off, one woman left an executive position years ago to raise her children and takes on big projects from time to time, and the other hasn't worked outside the home since becoming a mother (many years ago).

I don't remember what we were talking about, but I distinctly remember when the executive said, "Women have a tough time with careers because they have to deal with that "pull" once they become moms. We men just don't have to deal with that." I was taken aback by his words. So of course I asked some questions. I asked how he came to that conclusion. I asked if he'd always felt like he'd given his children and his family all of the attention they deserved. I asked if he ever felt guilty as he had to make decisions about his time that pit his career interests against his family's interests. I suggested that maybe society's expectations of women and men played a bigger role in his perception than any inert "pull". I told him I just didn't buy it.

It's worth noting that these people are not old-school, stuck in their ways, traditional types. In many ways, maybe even most ways, they're very progressive. And yet, this high-level exec appears to have drawn some pretty significant conclusions based on a data point of one; his wife. And I think it's worth noting that even though their kids are grown and gone, she still isn't pursuing a career, so I'm not exactly sure what "pull" prevents her from pursuing a career now.

This is why we continue to advocate for women staying in the workforce - even when it's easier to walk away. Until men truly understand what it takes to be part of a dual career couple and manage personal responsibilities as an equal partner, the women who pursue careers with as much commitment as men will continue to face perspectives that are faulty at best and down right troublesome and hindering at times.

If we want our daughters to have the same career opportunities as our sons, we have to do the hard work of creating an environment that enables that.
Related stories:
  • Will Your Daughter Deserve Equal Pay?
  • What Can I Do About It?
  • Wage Gap or Encouragement Gap?
  • Mind the Gap
  • Choices and Consequences
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    The Stories

    Picture
    Paperback | Kindle | Audible
    Read More Stories
    Don't Miss a Story
    WorkingParentStory

    Archives

    January 2025
    March 2022
    September 2021
    July 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    August 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017

    Categories

    All
    Authors
    Balance
    Book Review
    Childcare
    Children
    Choices
    Compensation
    COVID 19
    COVID-19
    Crisis
    Culture
    Depression
    Eldercare
    Encouraging
    Fathers
    Finance
    Flexibility
    Fulfillment
    Funny
    Goals
    Guilt
    Health
    Independence
    Inspiring
    Kids: 5 12
    Kids: 5-12
    Kids: All Ages
    Kids: Babies
    Kids: Teens
    Kids: Toddlers
    Laundry
    Meals
    Medical
    Mornings
    Most Popular
    Mothers
    Parental Leave
    Perceptions
    Pregnancy
    Provacative
    School
    Self Esteem
    Self-esteem
    Stamina
    Stress
    Teachers
    TED Talks
    Telecommuting
    Tenacity
    Thought Provoking
    Time
    Tips
    Travel
    Videos
    Wage Gap

    RSS Feed

Working Parent Stories

Copyright © 2025  |  Working Parent Stories  |  Colorado, USA  
Photos from barnimages.com, marcoverch, truewonder, donnierayjones, marcoverch, shixart1985, Gustavo Devito, edenpictures, nan palmero, quapan, The Pumpkin Theory, bark, opassande, Semtrio, Ivan Radic (CC BY 2.0), verchmarco (CC BY 2.0), Didriks, shawnzrossi, shixart1985 (CC BY 2.0), madprime, marksmorton, CT Arzneimittel GmbH, NwongPR, franchiseopportunitiesphotos, anotherlunch.com, jdlasica, wuestenigel, Frinthy, romanboed, Doris Tichelaar, quinn.anya, A_Peach, VisitLakeland, MEDION Pressestelle, Darren Wilkinson, bratislavskysamospravnykraj, Anthony Quintano, Danielle Scott, pockethifi, Bridgette Rehg, Martin Pettitt, PersonalCreations.com, wuestenigel, Thad Zajdowicz, archer10 (Dennis) 139M Views, Infomastern, beltz6, The National Guard, futurestreet, daveynin, OIST (Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology), Rinet IT, shixart1985, mikecogh, JeepersMedia, Ryan Polei | www.ryanpolei.com, Jake.Christopher., aleksandrajovovich, thepeachpeddler, wwward0, flossyflotsam, Got Credit, Senado Federal, Corvair Owner, lookcatalog, moodboardphotography, dejankrsmanovic, Carine fel, ElleFlorio, {Guerrilla Futures | Jason Tester}, greg westfall., Arlington County, mariaronnaluna, quinn.anya, wuestenigel, Tayloright, insatiablemunch, MrJamesBaker, Scorius, Alan Light, Monkey Mash Button, www.audio-luci-store.it, wohlford, Vivian Chen [陳培雯], okchomeseller, BoldContent, Ivan Radic, verchmarco, donnierayjones, Czar Hey, US Department of Education, Andrew Milligan Sumo, Michel Curi, anotherlunch.com, ProFlowers.com, Cultural viewpoints from around the world, alubavin, yourbestdigs, Rod Waddington, Tayloright, Wonder woman0731, yourbestdigs, donald judge, Thomas Leth-Olsen, Infinity Studio, shixart1985, wuestenigel, francesbean, Roger Blackwell, MrJamesBaker, Luca Nebuloni, MFer Photography, erinw519, boellstiftung, North Carolina National Guard, A m o r e Caterina, MrJamesBaker, bellaellaboutique, Free For Commercial Use (FFC), Prayitno / Thank you for (12 millions +) view, wuestenigel, Matt From London, MadFishDigital, Kompentenzzentrum Frau und Beruf, mikecogh, CreditDebitPro, marciadotcom, Mr.Sai, _steffen
  • Home
  • Why
  • Stories
    • Index
    • Feedback
    • Submit >
      • Guidelines
      • Updates
    • Inspiration
    • Tips | Thoughts | Ideas
  • Book
    • Amazon-WW
    • Gifts
    • Borrow Book
    • Book Club
  • Store
  • Contact
    • Services
    • Connect
    • Subscribe
    • Metrics