Op-Ed: When Caregiving Is a Career for Mothers

@ Wix

Every year, as Mother’s Day approaches, we’ve all seen the tributes:

“Thanks, Mom, for everything you do!”

But what is that “everything,” really?

The truth is, everything includes a million invisible tasks—mental checklists, emotional labor, domestic upkeep, and caregiving duties that keep families, and frankly, economies running.

On Mother’s Day, we say "thank you"—but if we’re serious about honoring mothers, we must move beyond gratitude and toward recognition, redistribution, and justice.

The Labor We Don’t See (But Rely On Every Day)

Motherhood is often described as a full-time job, but that phrase doesn’t go far enough. It’s many jobs rolled into one, and most of them unpaid:

"cook, cleaner, nurse, therapist, teacher, chauffeur, and emotional crisis manager".

This labor doesn’t clock in or out. It doesn’t come with benefits or breaks. It’s expected.And too often, it’s invisible.

Why invisible? Because society tends to undervalue work that’s done in the home—especially when it’s done by women. Because productivity is measured in profits, not care. And because love, when expressed through labor, is often assumed to be free.

But just because it’s unpaid doesn’t mean it’s costless. The cost is borne by mothers in lost income, stalled careers, exhaustion, and emotional burnout.

The Motherhood Penalty Is Real

Unpaid labor isn't just a private issue—it has economic consequences.

Women, especially mothers, face what economists call the “motherhood penalty”: lower pay, fewer job opportunities, and greater expectations to juggle both wage work and home responsibilities.

This gap only widens in low-income households, among single mothers, and in communities with weak social safety nets.

Meanwhile, stay-at-home moms are often treated as if they don’t work at all. But let’s be honest—if a stay-at-home mom’s labor were compensated at market value, her annual salary would run into tens of thousands of dollars, easily.

The idea that caregiving is a "natural" duty for women has allowed governments, employers, and partners to offload responsibility—turning love into a form of labor exploitation.

When we reframe motherhood as work—not just an instinct or identity—we can begin to push for:

• State-sponsored childcare

• Universal parental leave

• Workplace flexibility

• Recognition of domestic labor in economic measures (like GDP)

• Fair division of labor at home

Because real appreciation isn’t just saying “I see you.”It’s asking:

How can I help? What needs to change?

Closing Thoughts

Motherhood is filled with visible affection and invisible labor.But love does not have to mean silence. Care does not have to mean sacrifice.

To honor mothers is to recognize their work as work—not something we quietly expect, but something we collectively support.

Let’s give mothers more than a moment of appreciation.Let’s give them equity, dignity, rest—and a future where care is valued, not assumed.