Synopses & Reviews
In the pathbreaking tradition of Backlash and The Second Shift, Labor of Love opens the last frontier in the fight for women's equality: the economic penalties of motherhood.
In this provocative book, award-winning economics journalist Ann Critten argues that although women have been liberated, mothers have not. Drawing on hundreds of interviews around the country and the most current research in economics, history, child development, and law, she shows how mothers are systematically disadvantaged and made depent by a society that praises the labor of love but undervalues and even exploits those who perform it.
The costs of motherhood are apparent everywhere. College-educated women pay a "mommy tax" of more than a million dollars in lost income when they have a child. Family law deprives mothers of financial equality in marriage. Most child care is excluded from the GDP, at-home mothers are not counted in the labor force, and the social safety net simply leaves them out. With passion and clarity, Critten dismantles the principal argument for the status quo: that it's a woman's "choice." She demonstrates, on the contrary, that proper recognition and reward for mothers' essential contributions would only enhance the welfare of all.
Bold and galvanizing, full of innovative solutions, Labor of Love offers a much-needed accounting of the price mothers pay to carry out society's most important job.
Review
“A landmark book.” —San Francisco Chronicle
“Powerful and important . . . Written with a fine passion, The Price of Motherhood challenges the received ideas of economists, feminists, and conservatives alike and ought to be read by all of them.” —The New York Times Book Review
“A scathing indictment of policies that cheat mothers . . . Crittenden turns out a fresh, persuasive argument. Sure to inspire vigorous debate.” —Megan Rutherford, Time
“Fascinating . . . shows how women have been consistently denied social and, more important, monetary equality for raising their families.” —Susan Straight, Los Angeles Times
Synopsis
THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION OF THE NATIONAL BESTSELLER THAT CHANGED AMERICA'S VIEW OF MOTHERHOOD
In the pathbreaking tradition of Backlash and The Second Shift, this provocative book shows how mothers are systematically disadvantaged and made dependent by a society that exploits those who perform its most critical work. Drawing on hundreds of interviews and research in economics, history, child development, and law, Ann Crittenden proves definitively that although women have been liberated, mothers have not.
Bold, galvanizing, and full of innovative solutions, The Price of Motherhood was listed by the Chicago Tribune as one of the Top Ten Feminist Literary Works since the publication of Betty Friedan's Feminine Mystique. This "bracing call to arms" (Elle) offers a much-needed accounting of the price that mothers pay for performing the most important job in the world.
About the Author
Ann Critten is the author of Killing the Sacred Cows: Bold Ideas for a New Economy. A former reporter for The New York Times and a Pulitzer Prize nominee, she has also been a financial writer for Newsweek, a visiting lecturer at M.I.T. and Yale, and an economics commentator on CBS News. Her articles have appeared in Fortune, The Nation, Foreign Affairs, McCalls, and Working Woman, among others. She lives with her husband and son in Washington, D.C.
Reading Group Guide
1. Ann Crittenden states in her first footnote that she defines “mother” as any caregiver, male or female. How does that detail effect her portrayal of parenting issues throughout the book? What motivates society to assume that women are better candidates for motherhood than men?
2. For female readers: If you and your husband earned exactly the same amount, but neither of you were allowed to work part-time, would you feel comfortable becoming the wage-earner while your husband stayed home with the kids?
3. How much more would you be willing to pay in taxes if it meant that the U.S. would implement the Swedish plan, which grants mothers a full year of maternity leave with government subsidies equal to 75% of their salaries, and the French system of top-notch government-sponsored day care for all?
4. Compare your mother's parenting situation to yours. While things have improved for working women in the past 30 years, how do you think modern mothers and children fared? Are single parents and their children better or worse off than 30 years ago?
5. For married readers with children: If your spouse werent in your life, how would you make up for his or her contribution toward raising your children? What safety nets, if any, would be available to you immediately?
6. Consider the story of Tony Williams, the foster child who was assumed to be retarded but, thanks to a chance adoption by loving parents, proved to be highly intelligent and even became mayor of Washington, D.C.. What do you think the outlook is for todays Tony Williamses? Is the well of “irrational” mother love in danger of running dry?
7. What do you consider to be the greatest hurdle in the road to equal rights and equal compensation for mothers?
8. Almost twice as many male CEOs as female CEOs have children. Do you believe that corporate America can change to accommodate working mothers? Are 80-hour work weeks really necessary for profit making, or are they the just a byproduct of irrational business philosophies?
9. Do you think that the number of children a father has, across multiple marriages, should be taken into consideration when determining child support amounts?
10. Did any of Ann Crittendens statistics contradict your assumptions about motherhood? How did The Price of Motherhood affect your own decision-making and perspectives on parenting?
11. What has the price of motherhood been for you? Which of the books case studies resonated particularly strongly with you?
12. With waning support from the National Organization for Women, and no prospect of unionization, how can Americas mothers create an audible voice for change?
13. Evaluate Ann Crittendens proposals for change. Which ones would be most relevant to your situation? Which ones do you think are most likely to become enacted within the next five years?