Comments on: Mama Bee: Getting Honest About Part-time Work https://lauravanderkam.com/2010/05/mama-bee-getting-honest-about-part-time-work/ Writer, Author, Speaker Sat, 15 May 2010 15:43:37 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.2 By: Mama Bee https://lauravanderkam.com/2010/05/mama-bee-getting-honest-about-part-time-work/#comment-18782 Sat, 15 May 2010 15:43:37 +0000 http://www.my168hours.com/blog/?p=418#comment-18782 Laura, you hit the nail on the head here. The large number of commenters who say that their lives have been enhanced by part-time work aren’t wrong — not by a long shot. They have made a decision based on their values and economics, and if it works, that is a wonderful thing. But they are not “average.”

What I take issue with is the idea that part-time work would improve the lives of all — or even most — women. Those who have commented on your USA Today article and my blog represent a small, educated, resourced group. Their experience is not likely to reflect that of vast numbers of women for whom part-time work has more serious financial and career consequences.

We need to recognize these downsides and think about how we can change the workplace to a) keep more women working full-time, but flexibly; and b) rectify the disproportionate penalty many women will face if they do consider a part-time option. This is not “mommy-wars” as some have suggested, it’s just facing the truth so that we can find tenable solutions for both women and business.

Best,
TMB

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