It’s Official – Being A Working Mum IS Good For Your Children, Particularly Your Daughter

Working mums may sometimes feel guilty for leaving their children with childminders or in nursery all day, but a landmark study has revealed that they're great role models for their little ones - particularly daughters.

The study, by Harvard University, has proven that daughters of working mums go on to be incredibly successful – both in the workplace and in their private lives.

Looking at data from 24 countries, including the UK and US, the study revealed that children of mums who work full time thrive – with girls benefitting most from their mother’s positive influence.

Daughters of working mothers were shown to enjoy fantastic careers, higher pay and more equal relationships than girls raised by stay-at-home mums.

They found that the daughters of working mums were paid around four per cent more than their peers and were more likely to be promoted into managerial positions than the children of stay at home mums.

The researchers said that mums in employment teach their daughters a set of skills “that enable greater participation in the workforce and in leadership positions.”

The beneficial effect that career driven women have on their daughters was particularly obvious both here in the UK and in the US noted the study’s lead author, Harvard Business School professor Kathleen McGinn.

“We hope the findings from our research will promote respect for the spectrum of choices women and men make at home and at work,” the researchers wrote. “Whether moms or dads stay at home or are employed, part-time or full-time, children benefit from exposure to role models offering a wide set of alternatives for leading rich and rewarding lives.”

Working mums are positive influences on their sons, too. “Our analyses find that sons raised by an employed mother are more involved at home as adults, spending more time caring for family members than men whose mothers stayed home full-time,” the study reported.

The researchers hope that their findings will help raise awareness of the support needed for working parents.

“Our findings suggest that policy should focus on supporting mothers who work – part-time or full-time. Providing quality and reasonably priced childcare is an important factor but policy makers should also address workplace policies.”

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