Working Moms

Celebrating and thankful for "The Mommy Track"

Anyone else? I think the term should be looked at more favorably instead of having more of a negative connotation.

I enjoy the family friendly flexibility that I have in my current position. The "next step" up for me---in my opinion, is not family friendly. So, at this time in my life, I'll happily pass.

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Re: Celebrating and thankful for "The Mommy Track"

  • Yes, I totally agree! I have a great job, flexible, family friendly, well-paid, etc.  But if I were single or not a mommy, I would be striving for the next step, promotion, challenge, etc.  I am content right where I am with no late nights, minimal travel, working from home, etc.
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  • couldn't agree more.  While I am pushing for a promotion now, it is only because I've been doing the dang job for the past two years!  But after that, I have made no secret that for the timebeing, my desire to be promoted further is about nil as I prefer to maintain the current work-life balance.  I know my boss wants me to move up further but just not where I want to be for now.  Few years may change that and he knows it but for now, provided I get my next-level promotion, we're all good.


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    DD -- 5YO
    DS -- 3YO

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  • Total lurker (w/o any kids) here, but thank you for posting this.  I am always kind of taken aback when I hear talk about not having a mommy track, or eliminating the mommy track as being a good thing.  I get it that it's a problem if all women are forced into it, or if once you're in there's no way out.  But I'd hate to see it not be an option at all either. 

    "A new baby is like the beginning of all things--wonder, hope, a dream of possibilities."


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  • I agree. I would be perfectly happy to not get a promotion anytime soon to keep my job at its current stress level so that I can focus more on my baby. I've also been skipping out on extra things lately - like submitting research to conferences. I'll jump back in at a later time.
  • In many places and situations there is a difference between mommy track and family friendly policies and that is why mommy track is not a favorable term.  Anyone can take advantage of flexible work arrangements, when available, I view being mommy tracked when a boss says to an employee since you have a child I know your priorities have changed so I won?t recommend you for the director job because I know you won?t want to do the hours.  This is an assumption if you have never had that conversation and are still working at the same pace you worked prebaby and guess what that happened to me.  I also had my VP mentor say she did not want to meet with me until I had DD because she knew my career aspirations would change based on other women she worked with.  I work in a male dominated workplace and Mommy track is not a good thing.

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  • This is interesting. I am a teacher and we do not climb a ladder per se in our career. You can go into administration but that's about the only "up" you can go. I currently teach state funded pre school rather than elementary because it allows me to bring my children to work with me. It pays substantially less and does not have benefits but the day care is free so it almost evens itself out. I suppose that would be a mommy track in my profession. I am more than happy to be in that position beceause of the benefit it brings to my family.
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  • imagesnicksnack:

    In many places and situations there is a difference between mommy track and family friendly policies and that is why mommy track is not a favorable term.  Anyone can take advantage of flexible work arrangements, when available, I view being mommy tracked when a boss says to an employee since you have a child I know your priorities have changed so I won?t recommend you for the director job because I know you won?t want to do the hours.  This is an assumption if you have never had that conversation and are still working at the same pace you worked prebaby and guess what that happened to me.  I also had my VP mentor say she did not want to meet with me until I had DD because she knew my career aspirations would change based on other women she worked with.  I work in a male dominated workplace and Mommy track is not a good thing.

     

     

    This!  I also really strongly object to the gendered nature of the term.  It simply implies that women are the ones that want/need family friendly policies.  Calling it the mommy track places the burden and the benefit entirely on women and makes it easy to deny that this is a societal issue. 

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  • imagesnicksnack:

    In many places and situations there is a difference between mommy track and family friendly policies and that is why mommy track is not a favorable term.  Anyone can take advantage of flexible work arrangements, when available, I view being mommy tracked when a boss says to an employee since you have a child I know your priorities have changed so I won?t recommend you for the director job because I know you won?t want to do the hours.  This is an assumption if you have never had that conversation and are still working at the same pace you worked prebaby and guess what that happened to me.  I also had my VP mentor say she did not want to meet with me until I had DD because she knew my career aspirations would change based on other women she worked with.  I work in a male dominated workplace and Mommy track is not a good thing.

     

    Agree.  Also, I have to wonder why upper level jobs can't also offer flexible schedules and family friendly policies.  I just don't believe that these jobs require you to live at the office in order to be done well. 

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  • I agree with the other poster who said that the term, as used in the past, hasn't so much been about women willingly accepting their current positions and not striving at the moment for advancement, but rather that an  assumption was made that they no longer wanted to advance.

    I was up for a promotion and was pretty much told that the job was mine and then when I became pregnant I began hearing whispering about how surely once I had my third child I wouldn't want to be tied to a less flexible schedule, take on more responsbility, etc.  A week after I miscarried I received the promotion. 

    I'm fine with redefining what the mommy track is so long as it isn't assumed that all women want to be on that track.  In my job, promotions are few and far between and normally only the result of someone retiring.  I have to take advantage as those opportunities present themselves.

    Kelly, Mom to Christopher Shannon 9.27.06, Catherine Quinn 2.24.09, Trey Barton lost on 12.28.09, Therese Barton lost on 6.10.10, Joseph Sullivan 7.23.11, and our latest, Victoria Maren 11.15.12

    Secondary infertility success with IVF, then two losses, one at 14 weeks and one at 10 weeks, then success with IUI and then just pure, crazy luck.  Expecting our fifth in May as the result of a FET.

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  • imagemariposa_atl:
    Yes, I totally agree! I have a great job, flexible, family friendly, well-paid, etc.  But if I were single or not a mommy, I would be striving for the next step, promotion, challenge, etc.  I am content right where I am with no late nights, minimal travel, working from home, etc.

    This exactly.  I'm going back to work at 4 days/week for this exact reason.  My career goals right now are to do a very good job and come home to my daughter.

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  • I have been mommy tracked, and I think of this as a negative. Just because I can't work past 5pm anymore doesn't mean I should get stuck with all the crap projects. My brain is the same as it is before, it just has to leave to pick up my DS. I can still do the same work as before, just not past 5pm, know what I mean? So by getting all the crap projects, and not working on the "good projects", this stifles my career, which means if and when I decide I want to move up and start working 60 hour weeks again, it will be an even more difficult road for me because every hiring manager is going to wonder why I have been at my current level so long.

    I can't win. And it sucks. I'm glad you have made peace with it, but mommy track is definitely negative. Why can't everyone have the same opportunity even if they can't be here 24 hours a day??

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  • imagecalamityeyes:
    imagesnicksnack:

    In many places and situations there is a difference between mommy track and family friendly policies and that is why mommy track is not a favorable term.  Anyone can take advantage of flexible work arrangements, when available, I view being mommy tracked when a boss says to an employee since you have a child I know your priorities have changed so I won?t recommend you for the director job because I know you won?t want to do the hours.  This is an assumption if you have never had that conversation and are still working at the same pace you worked prebaby and guess what that happened to me.  I also had my VP mentor say she did not want to meet with me until I had DD because she knew my career aspirations would change based on other women she worked with.  I work in a male dominated workplace and Mommy track is not a good thing.

     

     

    This!  I also really strongly object to the gendered nature of the term.  It simply implies that women are the ones that want/need family friendly policies.  Calling it the mommy track places the burden and the benefit entirely on women and makes it easy to deny that this is a societal issue. 

    Exactly. It is not a nice term. Some historical context, people! Please!
    image
  • imagefinancialdiva:

    I have been mommy tracked, and I think of this as a negative. Just because I can't work past 5pm anymore doesn't mean I should get stuck with all the crap projects. My brain is the same as it is before, it just has to leave to pick up my DS. I can still do the same work as before, just not past 5pm, know what I mean? So by getting all the crap projects, and not working on the "good projects", this stifles my career, which means if and when I decide I want to move up and start working 60 hour weeks again, it will be an even more difficult road for me because every hiring manager is going to wonder why I have been at my current level so long.

    I can't win. And it sucks. I'm glad you have made peace with it, but mommy track is definitely negative. Why can't everyone have the same opportunity even if they can't be here 24 hours a day??

    Because the reality is that people who *can* work past 5 or 24/7 are working harder and in a better place to get a promotion.  It's not PC or popular to say, but it's true.  I think I do a good job, but I am limited in what I can (and want) to do now that I have a child, international travel, staying late, extended out of town projects, etc.

    Before I was married and had a child, I was offered a temporary out of town assignment for 6 months.  It was great for my career and I was happy to do it.  I can't do that now, so can't be surprised when the person who can jumps ahead of me.  I am totally fine with that! It's fair.

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  • Totally and completely agree! The mommy track is the best thing going for companies and for the mommies who work for them. It allows companies to retain great, loyal talent and allows us to have work-life balance. Hooray all-around!
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  • This is bothering me. The term "Mommy Track" has a history and it is not a good one. I do not know how any smart woman could use the term as something postive.

    Why are people confusing this sexist term with family friendlier/flexible workplaces? Two different things.

    Posts like this make me sad.

    I realize how quickly some women have forgotten the ladies who fought so hard for so many of the things we now take for granted. Or rmaybe they never understood it in the first place.

    image
  • imageSpenjamins:

    This is bothering me. The term "Mommy Track" has a history and it is not a good one. I do not know how any smart woman could use the term as something postive.

    Why are people confusing this sexist term with family friendlier/flexible workplaces? Two different things.

    Posts like this make me sad.

    I realize how quickly some women have forgotten the ladies who fought so hard for so many of the things we now take for granted. Or rmaybe they never understood it in the first place.

    All of this. It's like being the "trailing spouse" in academia. That's when a married couple were both qualified to be professors, and the school would give the woman a crap job teaching the courses no one wants to teach so they could hire her husband to teach the presitigious courses, do the "real" research, etc.

    I can't imagine that becoming a wonderful term. *Sigh*

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  • imageshaindelr:
    imageSpenjamins:

    This is bothering me. The term "Mommy Track" has a history and it is not a good one. I do not know how any smart woman could use the term as something postive.

    Why are people confusing this sexist term with family friendlier/flexible workplaces? Two different things.

    Posts like this make me sad.

    I realize how quickly some women have forgotten the ladies who fought so hard for so many of the things we now take for granted. Or rmaybe they never understood it in the first place.

    All of this. It's like being the "trailing spouse" in academia. That's when a married couple were both qualified to be professors, and the school would give the woman a crap job teaching the courses no one wants to teach so they could hire her husband to teach the presitigious courses, do the "real" research, etc.

    I can't imagine that becoming a wonderful term. *Sigh*

     

    Yes to all this.   

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  • imagemariposa_atl:
    imagefinancialdiva:

    I have been mommy tracked, and I think of this as a negative. Just because I can't work past 5pm anymore doesn't mean I should get stuck with all the crap projects. My brain is the same as it is before, it just has to leave to pick up my DS. I can still do the same work as before, just not past 5pm, know what I mean? So by getting all the crap projects, and not working on the "good projects", this stifles my career, which means if and when I decide I want to move up and start working 60 hour weeks again, it will be an even more difficult road for me because every hiring manager is going to wonder why I have been at my current level so long.

    I can't win. And it sucks. I'm glad you have made peace with it, but mommy track is definitely negative. Why can't everyone have the same opportunity even if they can't be here 24 hours a day??

    Because the reality is that people who *can* work past 5 or 24/7 are working harder and in a better place to get a promotion.  It's not PC or popular to say, but it's true.  I think I do a good job, but I am limited in what I can (and want) to do now that I have a child, international travel, staying late, extended out of town projects, etc.

    Before I was married and had a child, I was offered a temporary out of town assignment for 6 months.  It was great for my career and I was happy to do it.  I can't do that now, so can't be surprised when the person who can jumps ahead of me.  I am totally fine with that! It's fair.

    Yes, I know it's that thing called Capitalism coming into play here where those who work hard climb the ladder faster. But my point was that I can still work on a "good project" or two when I'm here 9 hours a day b/c my brain is just the same. I don't have to always be thrown the "crap" ones b/c I pushed a child out of my body. Wink

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