Reed Karaim

In the following viewpoint, Reed Karaim argues that working mothers teach their children to be independent, curious, and ambitious. He maintains that children of working mothers do not suffer from less parental attention than children whose mothers stay home. Rather, children whose mothers work learn the value of personal fulfillment and goal-setting. Karaim is the author of the novel If Men Were Angels.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. According to the author, why was the transformation to parenthood more difficult for his female friends than his male friends?
2. How do working mothers counter popular culture, as stated by the author?
3. According to Karaim, how do most children of working mothers feel about their mothers’ choice?

Like many ambitious baby boomers in Washington, most of my friends married in their thirties and...