Why Every Mom Deserves the Freedom of Remote Work

I recently picked up my youngest son and his two friends from middle school after their "puzzle club," where sixth graders were learning to solve the Rubik's Cube. With my last of four kids now in middle school or beyond, my season of raising "littles" has concluded.

As I chuckled at my son and his friends, I reflected on how I navigated modern motherhood to build a life that allowed me to be home with my kids when they were little and eventually embrace the privilege of remote work, something not all women have access to.

Now that my kids are older, I'm grateful for my choice to work from home and raise them. It's a privilege, and I believe all mothers should have this opportunity.

Being a Mom Can Mean Raising Kids and Working

Part of what sparked this reflection was the recent Country Music Association Awards, where Kelsea Ballerini performed her new song, "I Sit In Parks." The lyrics express the sorrow of a woman who chose a career over settling down and having children—at least for now.

"Did I miss it? By now, is it a lucid dream? Is it my fault for chasing things a body clock doesn't wait for?" the song says.

Underlying this angst is a common dilemma for women who want to be moms: Should I give up my career to stay home and raise my kids?

But there is a middle ground. Remote work or entrepreneurship can often satisfy both the desire to work and the desire to raise kids at home.

Parenting Requires Sacrifice and Grit. Remote Work Offers the Flexibility I Need.

Choosing a career that embraces remote work isn't a privilege everyone has, but data shows that flexible work opportunities have increased at least fivefold over the past 20 years.

One positive outcome of the COVID-19 pandemic was revealing how many employers can offer remote work and how much people thrive working remotely. It's disappointing to see many companies pushing to return to traditional, in-office work, despite the success of flexible options. This shift particularly hurts parents, especially mothers.

Opting for remote work or starting a business to gain flexibility in raising kids is one of the best choices a mother can make, but it demands sacrifice, grit, and excellent juggling skills. My typical day involves multiple school pickups and drop-offs, sandwiched between work calls, messages with my employer, actual work, and then wrapping up work or preparing for the next day while cooking dinner, helping with homework, and doing laundry in the evening.

It's a lot, but I wouldn't change it.

Want to Raise Kids and Have a Career? Choose Flexible Work.

I wouldn't trade my setup for an in-office corporate job, even with higher pay or status. In exchange, I'd miss taking my son to the dentist or doctor and sneaking a treat on the way home, seeing my daughter in a choir concert, or comforting her when she's sick. I wouldn't be the go-to person for a ride, money, a forgotten item, or a spontaneous Chick-fil-A meal.

What am I doing if not being my kids' mother? Is there a higher calling? Work will always be there, but time with my kids won't.

The choice is clear. We need babies in society, as the declining fertility rate indicates, and someone has to raise them: Do you want it to be you or someone else? If it's "me," then go all in and raise your babies the best you can. If a flexible job can make that happen, find one and excel at it.

I'll have the rest of my life to focus solely on work, but only a few more years to hear my son and his friends chat about Rubik's Cube club in the car.