Why U.S. Working Moms Are So Stressed – And What To Do About It

Caitlyn Collins, a sociologist at Washington University in St.
Louis, conducted interviews with mothers in four countries -- the
United States, Italy, Germany, and Sweden -- who have jobs outside
the home to better understand the pressures they felt. She found
that American moms were by far the most stressed, primarily because
of the lack of parental benefits offered by their employers and the
government. In Europe, women told Collins they had more help, but
at times cultural norms around their personal and professional
roles had yet to catch up. Collins thinks companies can work to
improve the situation but argues that the real solution is
carefully designed government interventions that will help families
at all income levels. She’s the author of the book “Making
Motherhood Work: How Women Manage Careers and Caregiving.”