We all know the stereotype. A working mother kisses her children good-bye and leaves the town house in a smart suit. She may have running shoes on as she strides down into the subway, but in her bag are a pair of pumps and a dayplanner that is full of interesting, well-paid tasks to complete on the job. Naturally, she is an urban figure, a superwoman who works in the tallest buildings.
Of course, the “typical” working mother looks nothing like that.

8 days until Mothers’ Day. I am still working on explaining the concepts of “breakfast in bed” and “get Daddy to help you” to my 3 year-old. There’s still time and I think I might make it this year!
In the lead up to the big day, I thought I would explore a number of issues that affect mothers’ lives. Since nothing inspires fear in the hearts of working women more than maternity leave, I thought I would start with workplace issues.
You may remember my post about study results that showed motherhood makes women smarter, more focussed and more productive. You …read more

I am not ready to go back to work full time, but I know I want to. The trouble is, my career was in transition before I had children. I’ve been piecing together a living through a combination of writing, consulting and teaching since our move to Germany four years ago.
I love self-employment and freelancing, but it’s harder to do when the working people around you are getting six weeks paid vacation, more respect for having a “real job” and financial security through government employment insurance and other forms of labour protection. And the multi-tasking, endless quest for the next …read more