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For years, sociologists have been talking about "the motherhood penalty" and "the daddy bonus" (also known as "the fatherhood bonus"). The Cliff's Notes: Women with kids are less likely to be hired and more likely to earn less than men with the same qualifications, while guys tend to earn more once they've got a framed-photo of a cute little munchkin on their desk. Recently, that conversation got a major reboot when parenthood pay-gap expert Michelle Budig, Ph.D., a sociology professor at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, released new data showing that male high-earners got the biggest pay bump for having kids, and low-income women suffered the biggest consequences. "Employers read fathers as more stable and committed to their work; they have a family to provide for, so they're less likely to be flaky," Budig told The New York Times. "That is the opposite of how parenthood by women is interpreted by employers. The conventional story is they work less and they're more distractible when on the job."
I think I can speak for most women who were raised by working moms, or who are working moms themselves, when I say: Come again? In our current economy, 71 percent of mothers work outside they home—that's up from 39 percent in 1975—and it's time that employers' cultural perceptions of working moms evolve out of the Mad Men—ian era too. In 2014, a woman's status as a mom shouldn't insinuate that she's somehow any less competent—if anything, it might just make her a stronger employee. But don't take it from me. Take it from these powerhouse working moms, who've answered the question: "What should being a mom say to employers?" in a wholly modern way.
"What should an employer assume about me because I have kids? That I can deal with temperamental, volatile individuals calmly and without abandoning my 'indoor voice.' That I can multitask expertly, attending to big-picture issues while still remembering that people will want snacks in the conference room. That I will take my job seriously, because there's a family of people who depend on it. And that even the worst day at work, full of annoyances and disappointments, will not send me into an irreparable blue funk—because after all, there IS life outside the office." —Glamour editor-in-chief Cindi Leive, who has a daughter, Lucy, and son, Isaac
"It should say that she is committed, dedicated, and efficient."*—Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, who has two boys, Theodore and Henry, and somehow managed to write a book,* Off the Sidelines: Raise Your Voice, Change the World, out now. She's photographed here with Vice President Biden.
"As an entrepreneur, you're often faced with fire-drill situations that can be stressful; however, in the context of the chaotic world of motherhood, nothing seems quite as trying. When you're dealing with keeping an infant from eating food off the ground, coloring on walls, hiding your keys, and avoiding millions of life threatening situations, you start to learn to take everything in stride and are not as rattled when unexpected situations come up at work."—Jenny Fleiss, cofounder and head of business development at Rent the Runway and mom to daughter Daniella (here, with husband Andrew)
"As a mother, I have more empathy and patience now, which has helped me to be a better leader. I view people and the environment around me with renewed respect because I want the world to be a better place for my child." —Olivia Chantecaille, creative director of skin care and cosmetics company Chantecaille and mom to daughter Delphina
"Like most moms, I deal with daily conflict and uncertainty before 8 A.M. It has made me better at problem solving, conflict resolution, and, ultimately, risk management. My children are also a constant reminder of the need to invest in and mentor the next generation. That reminder has a direct impact on how I lead and try to inspire my team at PwC." —Laura Cox Kaplan, regulatory affairs and public policy leader at PricewaterhouseCoopers and mother of two (here, with husband Joel)
"It should say that I am passionate, organized, and know how to make things happen. Juggling work and family is always a challenge, but when you're driven and focused, you can accomplish just about anything." —Susan Feldman, cofounder and chief merchandising officer at One Kings Lane, and mom of two daughters, Kim and Jackie
Did you grow up with a working mom? Do you have kids? What do you think your status, as a mom, should indicate to your employer? Share your stories in the comments—or tweet them @glamourmag and at me, @emahaney, with the hashtag #momadvantage.
