Today, Cassandra Thorburn, who has just split from TODAY show host husband Karl Stefanovic, wrote an open letter titled ‘Dear Working Mums’, standing up for stay at home mothers (SAHMs) who left the workforce after having children.
After reading it, the working women in the Mamamia office – mums and non-mums – had A LOT to say. Is there really competition between working mums and SAHMs?
This is how the conversation went down on our online instant chat.
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Mia Freedman [5:09 PM] – aged 40s, mother of 3 kids aged 19, 10 and 8.
@here
who’s here?
Gemma Garkut [5:09 PM] – aged 20s, does not have children.
I am
Teegs Gilchrist [5:09 PM] – aged 30s, mother of one aged two.
me
Jacqueline Lunn [5:14 PM] – aged 40s, mother of three kids aged 16, 14 and 11.
I’m here
Holly Wainwright [5:09 PM] – aged 40s, mother of two children aged 6 and 4.
Okay. Let’s go.
Mia Freedman [5:09]
Top Comments
What if we didn't bother with childcare at all. What if school hours were brought into line with business hours. How would that work? Could it be made to work?
Sorry if this has all been said. I could only read about half of it because it infuriated me. Everyone seems to be judging as all women seem to feel judged. No role is better than another, yes, SAHM do pick up the slack for a lot of the volunteer jobs because they can and they mostly want to. Fact. Are they judging other, I very much doubt it. As a SAHM for a period of time, I was only ever annoyed at the other SAHM who didn't volunteer....apples with apples peeps. Working mothers have many conflicting feeling...all involving guilt. Guilt if they love their work, guilt for this, built for that. Then there are the people like me who work part time and feel judged for not working full time. The bottom line came across very clearly...women feel judged and guilty. We are probably our own worst enemy on this front. We need to support everyone's choices and doing what is right for them and their family. We also need to help women when it all falls apart. I know that I gave up my best 10 years living overseas waiting for my partner to complete his education. In that time I completely lost my IT career, never to be salvaged. Then we came to Australia and I had kids. Supporting his studies was to ensure that we had good money for the family. The reality is, that I can never leave and live a decently financial sort of life. My kids are in their teens now and have had the benefit of a stay at home or part time working mother all their lives. I am happy with that and hope that I will never have to leave my husband! Please we just need to be kind to each other!!!