Study: Children Of Working Moms Better Off Later In Life

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – New research shows children of working mothers are just as happy later in life as children of stay-at-home moms.

But as CBS2's Cindy Hsu reports, the study found it affects boys and girls differently.

The Harvard study involved more than 100,000 men and women from 29 countries.

For daughters of working mothers, results found they're more likely to be employed, hold supervisor roles, and in the U.S. earn nearly $2,000 more per year and spend an hour less on housework than stay-at-home moms.

When it comes to sons of working mothers, the study found they spend an extra 50 minutes a week caring for their own family, tend to choose employed spouses and view workplace gender equality more favorably.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 71 percent of women in the workplace have children who are 18 years old or younger.

Meredith Bodgas is one of those moms. She has two young boys who go to day care while she works as editor in chief of Working Mother.

"I have a 5-month-old. He's in day care right now. I've heard lots of criticism – How can you put him in day care? What are you doing to him?" she said.

She feels her children are flourishing and hopes the study will help with the guilt many working mothers feel.

"Working moms should be proud to be working moms," she said. "They are role modeling that you can be successful on the professional front and still be very close to your children when you're not there and when you are there."

Bodgas said the bottom line is that happy moms lead to happy grown-ups, whether you work or stay home, as long as you're engaged and fulfilled.

Xochitl Balacios, who works as a housekeeper, was thrilled to hear the results.

"I think it's awesome," she said.

"My mom, she loves me," said her 6-year-old son.

That's what really counts.

The study appeared in the journal Work, Employment and Society.