The ongoing debate about a child's best developmental outcomes from stay at home moms versus working mothers often make catchy, head turning headlines. One can find daily expert advice about the best parenting practices in women's magazines, newspapers and the internet. Parenting would be easy if kids already came pre programmed with values, manners and life direction. I often find myself asking women who they model themselves after in this new mother role. It is interesting that many working mothers have the image of their stay-at-home moms as their ideal. Their childhood memories of the constant presence of their stay-at-home mothers are quickly shared.

Many women work outside the home today and they often struggle painfully with their work realities. These women often devalue themselves since they compare their situations with their childhood memories. Meanwhile, many modern children readily share of their warm memories of being chauffeured in their mom's car after school. Tales of eating dinner and doing homework on the run are forever cherished. Hearing such warm stories of good times on the run is quite common but rarely makes media coverage. I have heard of many other adults learning their childhood life lessons while waiting for the bus or train or riding public transportation to attend educational activities. The life accounts of well adjusted kids from both stay at home moms and working moms leave wonderful childhood legacies. There is no right or wrong prescription for being a mother. I do believe that moms who are flexible and have fewer preconceived or rigid notions of their mother role have less stress.