Letter to NY Times: ‘Every Mother Is a Working Mother’

To the Editor:

Re “Why Are We Worrying About Women’s Work?” (Opinion, nytimes.com, March 19):

As a former Arby’s employee, I was glad that Elizabeth Bruenig questioned those who promote the importance of “standing behind the counter at Arby’s” over being a stay-at-home mother. Does forcing mothers on welfare to leave infants as young as six weeks old so they can “be productive” reflect the kind of world we want?

It was only because I was able to get disability benefits that, little as it was, I was able to stay home and breastfeed and nurture my child. The bonding of mothers and children, including through breastfeeding, is absolutely critical to children’s physical and emotional development.

Expansion of the child tax credit, as provided in the American Rescue Plan, gives more mothers more choices, and I’m all for it. We need a permanent child benefit going directly to the mother or primary caregiver. Every mother should choose what’s best for her children. Every mother is a working mother.

Pat Albright
Philadelphia

A version of this article appears in print on April 5, 2021, Section A, Page 18 of the New York edition.

Missing was Pat’s affiliation: Member, Global Women’s Strike/Philadelphia, and a correction: “Every mother should be able to choose what’s best for her and her children.”  But great that it got in!