In a Capitalist World, Only Mothers With Money Can Afford to Be Brave

Expectations of Parents in the U.S. are F*#d Up

Photo by Dakota Corbin on Unsplash

I saw posts on LinkedIn of mothers on family leave in front of a computer with their baby on their lap. They went viral, and people praised them for being such hard workers. Some even got job offers as a result.

Even sadder, I did the same. I “bragged” about learning many new skills while on family leave, my purpose being to improve my job prospects for when I’m ready to return. But a comment made me break from the herd mentality of “produce, produce, produce.” It was:

Good for you, I watched Netflix and feel lazy now.

I then realized that I had it all wrong. The brave are the ones who say “enough” and break with capitalism's expectations. Those who enjoy a family leave and are present with their babies.

But, only those with certain privileges can afford to be brave.

In the U.S. to be brave and decide to rest while on leave, one has to have the privilege of not worrying about hospital bills, lost income for not working, the cost of childcare, and so many other things.