Importance of Motherhood for Women in Science
Hi friends of women in science,
Science recently (May 18 issue) did a recap of the motherhood issue and responses to it in their "The Buzz" section in the front of the journal. They recapped J Mervis's March 2 News and Analysis, which posed the question, "Is Motherhood the biggest reason for academia's gender imbalance?" In a follow up, a couple who split an academic job to carry out child care was featured. The responses quoted were:
Yes, "Motherhood is absolutely the reason I left research..."
Sort of. The real problem is "men do not do 50% of the work when having a child."
Backwards. If men had equal child care leave, then there would be no discrimination against women.
Yes, but split positions are no solution. Why should a couple have to go on half salary to have children?
What is your current thinking on this issue?
cheers,
Laura
I've struggled with this as well. I'm an engineer actually, so not a scientist, but I think our struggles are similar. And I think this is something that women in many different careers struggle with. I've found it difficult leaving my child at daycare every day while I go to work. While she seems to be doing fine, I always wonder, would she be doing better if I stayed home with her more? I think the split job idea is actually pretty cool (assuming they get paid enough to where they can still live fairly comfortably). They both get to keep a foot in their careers while spending more time with their child.
I'm actually trying to strike out on my own in an effort to have more time to spend with my daughter. I'm starting my own business (http://www.technigirl.com), and I hope that it takes off enough to where I can quit my regular job. I design the clothes for the business, and while I've always loved the problem solving that comes with engineering, I also love art and there are plenty of problems to solve with a fledgling business as well. At least my designs are science and technology oriented though! :)
Child-rearing is an important issue for women in academe. It certainly was a deciding factor for me. It's not that it can't be done in an academic job, it's whether you can do it the way you would like. That is, can you envision being the type of parent you want to be in a certain role?
I couldn't see myself being the mother who could take time off and just enjoy her kids in an academic position whether each evening or during family vacations like I do now. When you are writing grants, managing a complex lab group, editing papers, traveling and giving seminars and doing all the other little things to make the lab go right, being a mom is not trivial. When confronted with that reality, many women say, "No thanks!".
In industry you still pay the mommy price, but it's much less costly in my opinion. I was out sick for a week with my son last week and everyone understood. My colleagues stepped up to help out. Was I swamped when I came back? Of course I was, but I didn't have to feel guilty. And my generous sick time covered the whole week.
Hi Marian,
I agree, women are the default for these jobs with kids as well as for housework, still, although there are wonderful exceptions.
One thing I found out in writing an article on biotech jobs for women for the AWIS Magazine a couple of years ago is how typical it is to have excellent on site child care, sufficient for essentially all of its employees, for big biotech firms. And its usually open to very young kids, which academia often does not do (starts after toilet training or about 2 in many cases). Also, there are good and standardized child birth release policies in most of the firms I checked with. Even today, all that is a lot harder in academia, especially for grad students and postdocs who aren't "employees" yet and are in prime childbirth years. That's all I know about why it is harder in academia.
cheers,
Laura
Laura
I am sorry to say that this is one situation where industry and academia are similar; if one parent has to stop out and take care of kids, it's the woman. I hate this and struggled hard to fight the stereotype. Did I do the right thing? Who knows. I have two, reasonably well adjusted kids. Would I do it again? Probably. Would they be better had I stayed home? who knows.
When it comes to the two-body problem, on the other hand, kids or no, women seem to lose. Why is that?
However, children and their care is a big differentiator. I think more women in industry keep working after kids, or take less time off. Why? What is different?
Marian
Dear Laura,
I think it's important but not all important. As one of your eloquent responders says from time to time, life is not always beautiful and rewarding even for senior women in science who don't have childcare issues for one reason or another. RESPECT is still an issue for many, that and NEGLECT. We do need better networking and better negotiation, but we need to be accepted as regular members of the club of science. We aren't there yet.
cheers,
CP
Hi Laura,
There's no point in blaming the victim and taking away coping strategies like split jobs when the situation is still stressful and hard to address with two full time jobs. I think people should design solutions and try to get employers to accept them, ones that work for them. None of them is wrong, in my opinion. A way to have kids and stay in science is a win, although I would agree it would be nice if US were more like Finland and everyone could get to know his/her baby and still do full time science.
Mel
