Mothers' Movement

Most American mothers work today, thanks partly to the women's movement. But a new crop of activist mothers is calling for a shift in focus from careers to raising families. They want to spend more time with their children — through part-time work or taking time off — without paying stiff economic penalties. Part-time workers generally earn less than full-time workers, receive no benefits and are pushed off promotion tracks. Several mothers' groups are calling for ambitious government benefits to reward at-home caregiving. But their embryonic movement faces a backlash from childless workers, who resent subsidizing parents with benefits like paid parental leave. In addition, some skeptics wonder if high-earning young professionals are being too greedy by insisting on “having it all” — both family and career.