Everyone has perceptions of a working mom including my son. When he was younger he was working on a mother’s day card in school and he proudly brought it home to me. It said things like I love my mom’s cooking, when she bakes brownies and her meatloaf. I almost started to cry and I asked him, “Patrick, is this someone else’s mom?” I don’t cook and if I do most people wouldn’t eat it. I try to bake but my daughter has taken over those duties as she is much better in that department. I can honestly say I have never made a meatloaf. I asked him why he put those things down and he explained to me that the teacher put a list on the board of things mom do and he copied them down. I understand why the teacher did it but it was eye opening to see that today there were still such strong perceptions of a mom and in this case it did not include working or anything that looked remotely like the mom I was. I used the time to talk to my son about perceptions and how everyone is different including moms.

Flash forward a few years to this May when my son brought home a Mother’s day book. Patrick’s perception of a working mom has changed significantly. I was proud to see this page in the book (picture above) but I was proud of the lesson learned more than anything. For women to be strong leaders and better in the workforce, we need men who believe women can do the job just as well as a man.  That has to start at home and it has to start young for both boys and girls. Raising a son is hard job. There is so much pressure on boys to “be a man” but I believe seeing strong women in their lives as role models sets the bar for what they should expect in relationships and the workforce. Oh and don’t read too much into the picture… I did notice in the picture I am naked with nothing but boots and a dollar bill over me but I see so much more 🙂