I don't know who originally made this post because I found it empty, but I'm going to chime in. I believe in a woman's right to do ANYTHING she wants with her life, including being a mother and having a career. Same thing with being a father and having a career. But once you bring a child into this world, that child should be *every* parents' *number one priority*, I don't care if you're the mom *or* the dad. There are too many neglected kids in this world who grow up without either of their parents around. Even in a financially-stable home with the best caretaker money can buy, they tend to grow up resentful, rebellious, and/or emotionally bereft. They can have trouble developing close relationships of their own, and then -- heaven forbid -- when they become parents themselves, the cycle only continues. I'm not saying this is 100% always the case, and no, I don't have statistics or research to back it up. It's just *experience* and *observation* that has taught me these things, as I've seen too many neglegted children end up with [emotional disorders] (https://www.jys.org/what-causes-emotional-behavior-disorder/) because their parents simply weren't there. To be completely honest, I'm in the camp that one parent should be working, and the other should be at home -- at *least* during the hours their kids are out of school. I don't care which gender does what. But that child *needs* and *deserves* the constant, loving, teaching, and disciplinary presence of at least one of their parents. But I also realize that, in today's economy, that's not always realistic. Sometimes, both parents have to work. Since this is a reality in today's world, maybe we ought to stop looking at *which parent should do what*, and start looking towards **reforms which will force employers to give paid time off as needed for parents to go be parents**. Our entire system is rigged so that our jobs/careers have to come first, or we face the threat of losing them. Things need to change so that parents can take care of their families without the fear of losing their jobs. So actually, scratch what I said earlier about one parent working and the other staying home. *Both* need to be in their childrens' lives, and if they both want/need a career as well, they should both have the opportunity to work without the fear of losing their jobs if they need to stay home for a kid with the sniffles. So the true statement ought to be: *Parents* may have careers, but their first duty is to be homemakers. Edit: I didn't consider single parents, but the same goes for them -- they shouldn't have to work themselves to the bone and never get any time with their kids, just so they can pay the bills. The bottom line is, we need to be a **country** that takes care of its children first, and everything else second.

Parents may have careers, but their first duty is to be home makers. (This does not especially apply to mothers or fathers)

Gender roles were formed out of necessity for human survival. Now that human survival is of least concern, and in fact lower human populations would actually be better for both our survival and quality of life, gender roles in general are no longer necessary and are instead a source of frustration and social ills.

**TLDR: To make the case that a mother's first duty is to be a homemaker perpetuates the stereotype that a woman’s primary domain is within the household.** - Why is this case that a mother's first duty is to be homemakers, and this is not the same for fathers. I don’t think this should apply exclusively to women. Men too have a primary duty of the running and upkeep of their households. - This maintains gender roles that we have fought so hard to push against. The role that a women’s place is in the household and a mans is in the workplace

If this said “parents” rather than mothers I might have agreed. But as written this statement essentially reads that it is the duty of women to be the primary caregivers of children. This both diminishes the woman’s agency and choice to make her life about her own choices and pursue her own goals, as well as ignores fathers who wish to have a more active and hands on role in their child’s lives. Too many men who would like to be stay-at-home dads feel compelled to return to work due to social stigma while women feel the stigma in the other direction.

When you become a parent your first priority is raising your child

People disagree with it solely because it is asked in a loaded and gendered way. Parenthood should matter much more than going to work.

If you have children and then have others raise them, which is what you’re doing if your children are cared for by others most of the time, what’s the point? Why contribute to overpopulation? If you don’t want to parent, you don’t have to do so. Focus on a career, travel, do what you want. But if you choose to have children — Raise them.