Women can lead boldly at work while restoring the honor of motherhood
A mother’s devotion to her child is unmatched. This love takes many forms: strength, compassion, wisdom, grace, joy, labor, humor and even grief, to name a few. The love between mother and child has helped shape America’s identity since the nation’s founding 250 years ago.
It is time to revisit the enduring American family traditions that have supported generations, while also recognizing the challenges for mothers of building both a career and a home. This balancing act reflects the realities women face today.
America’s strength is closely tied to the role mothers play in shaping character, education and moral order within families. From morning until night, mothers serve as the first teachers of empathy, aspiration and discipline. It is mothers who do so much to shape a child’s mind — how to think, how to distinguish right from wrong and how to persevere in challenging times.
The household is our nation’s smallest institution, yet it is the foundation of all others, including democracy itself. The values cultivated in homes often shape the moral voice of the next generation. Looking ahead, we must consider how to strengthen this vital role.
Being a modern mother demands the discipline and restraint to not disregard what came before us. In this spirit, the healthy evolution of the American family can best be achieved by preserving the elements of the past that have proven their worth. In doing so, America can restore the honor of motherhood after years in which feminism often placed career above family, with consequences to our nation.
Yes, women can thrive in both motherhood and business. But let’s be honest, extended families and strong support systems are often essential to providing a solid base for success. That’s why I admire the strength and dedication of single mothers in America, who often handle these responsibilities alone.
I note, too, that May is National Foster Care Month. Across America, tens of thousands of foster mothers selflessly provide safety and stability when it is needed most. Often, these moments create powerful bonds that can alter a child’s trajectory and even lead to a permanent home through adoption, changing lives forever.
American women today are finding unique ways to balance career ambition and family. The busy accountant who makes time during tax season to read with her kids before bedtime; the nurse who works a grueling shift starting at 6 a.m. but treasures being present with her children when they return from school. We all know these incredible women.
From these stories, we revisit a simple but enduring truth about being a mother: You make yourself available not just when it is convenient, but whenever your child needs you. This is the heartbeat of an everlasting connection between a mother and her child.
Children’s trust in their mothers grows over time, particularly when they know they are prioritized — before everything, including work. This holds true not only in moments of need, but also in ordinary moments: when a child wishes to talk, laugh or simply be together. In order to sustain this bond, a mother’s self-care is essential.
To be fully present for a child, mothers must occasionally take time to restore their own energy. Such care is not selfish, but an important part of caring for others. Through self-care, your devotion to your children and the rest of your family is more effective. This approach will enrich every aspect of your life, professional and personal.
Make time for yourself, while also welcoming challenges — learning new things, and discovering and building on your passions.
I constantly challenge myself, as first lady, to think beyond the traditional responsibilities of the East Wing. That has resulted in many new opportunities, including leading four reunifications of Ukrainian and Russian children with their families, addressing the U.N. Security Council on achieving peace through education, and, at the White House, launching Fostering the Future Together, a global effort to help children thrive through the safe and innovative use of technology. But family always comes first.
Together, let’s champion a new American model that restores the honor of motherhood by encouraging all women to lead boldly at work while also making family the cornerstone of our national future. I invite you to join me in prioritizing family as we shape a stronger America for the generations to come.
Read this op-ed in The Washington Post here.