Source: www.thehindu.com
LONDON, U.K., November 2, 2010: A major study by researchers at Macalester College, Minnesota, and the University of California, has proven that youngsters are less likely to succeed at school if their mothers return to work within a year of their birth.
Children of mothers who resume work during their first year of life end up faring worse in formal exams and show signs of being more disruptive, reports the Daily Mail. The child’s success was particularly affected if the mother’s work was full-time, the study spanning five decades found. The impact also varied dramatically according to class and whether the child was in a single-parent or two-parent household.
“Somewhat later employment (years two and three) appeared to be advantageous for children’s achievement,” it concluded. Working full-time during a child’s first year — rather than reduced hours or not at all — may increase the risk of a child developing behavioral problems, it also emerged.
The research was publicized on Monday by the Daycare Trust charity, which campaigns for affordable childcare and has called for mothers to be given a year’s paid parental leave.