This Mother’s Day, moms are tired

On Mother’s Day 2021, the moms of the United States are tired. They work, both in and outside the home, and in these pandemic times, from home. They are juggling care for parents, at-home schooling, numerous Zoom meetings, household chores and the stress of worrying about a potentially fatal disease. Some mothers don’t have the ability to work from home. These essential workers — health care employees, grocery store checkers, teachers, farm laborers and many others — must do their jobs out in the world, risking infection both to themselves and their families.

Moms are tired.

The struggle for women to achieve a semblance of equality on the job has seen serious setbacks in the past months. Between 2 million and 3 million women have left the workforce — the numbers vary depending on the source, but the message is clear.

Women can’t do it all anymore, and Black mothers, Hispanic mothers and single mothers are among the hardest hit, according to the New York Times. For many, leaving work is not a lifestyle choice supported by a high-wage-earning spouse. It is a decision that takes a family from getting by to struggling, thus increasing stress and worry.

The long-term implications for women and work are serious.

The numbers of women in the workforce have declined to those not seen since the 1980s. That means fewer women are earning money for retirement, whether through Social Security or setting aside dollars in their 401(k) s. These women are losing key years of work that could lead to high-level jobs in the future. They are stressed financially because of losing income, with almost 1 in 4 children experiencing food insecurity in 2020.

Already, a gender gap between the pay for men and women exists. Women earn 82 cents for every dollar men earn, according to U.S. census data analyzed by the National Women’s Law Center. On top of that, there’s what is termed a “motherhood penalty,” with moms paid only 70 cents for every dollar paid to men.

All of that adds up over the years, with women reaching retirement with $70,000 less saved than men. Nearly 1 in 5 women have nothing saved for retirement, a 2020 CNBC/SurveyMonkey Women at Work survey found.

The pandemic will make that gap wider, if public policy doesn’t address these issues.

President Joe Biden is calling for the expansion of child care in what he is calling the American Families Plan, arguing — correctly — that supporting human needs is part of the infrastructure the country needs to remain robust.

In New Mexico, the expansion of early childhood education is continuing, with some 44 percent of 3- and 4-year-olds enrolled in publicly funded preschool. Biden’s plan would expand access to free preschool to all 3- and 4-year-olds in New Mexico. It also contains measures to make sure child care for very young children will remain within reach of working people.

For families who don’t want to use outside child care, it’s essential that wages allow the choice of staying home. In many families, both parents work because that’s the only way to cover the bills and put food on the table. Tax credits and a commitment to a higher minimum wage, both at the federal and state levels, will help give families the choice.

Because without real choices, families will continue being torn apart, with moms bearing the brunt of the strain and stress. Moms are tired.

And on Mother’s Day, every mom deserves a break. They should be rested, cherished and, most of all, loved.