35 million of us 

Do we as working moms have the same opportunities as males in the work force or even as females who don't have kids? I guess it depends on who you ask. Many employers have concerns about women with children or even women without children who will likely decide to have them in the future. There are concerns about maternity leaves which, by the way barely exist anymore, and then how the responsibilities of being a mom will impact performance at work. There may be concerns about whether or not the individual will even return to work after having kids. Of course there are many variables which play into these scenarios, but the other thing to consider is how desirable a working mom can be as an employee. 35 million of us prove this every day in the United States!

Who is better at multitasking and problem solving on the fly than a mom? We play so many roles on a daily basis and have to be good at making plans and staying organized. We pay attention to details but don't get too wrapped up in them if it means we get off task. We want to do things to the best of our ability, but we also realize that on any given day, "the enemy of good is better".  We understand the value of time and try not to waste it. We prioritize and focus on what is critical to get done each day. We can manage long range goals as well, but we are very good on tackling what is right in front of us because there is simply no other option. 

When asked "how do you do it all?", I would expect the majority of working moms to respond "some days I'm not really sure, but like Nike says...I just do it"! There is no perfect system which works for each day as they may bring different challenges based on so many different factors. I think moms can adapt quickly and create some type of solution to most problems that arise. These types of traits develop more over time and even more so in moms of multiple kids trying to juggle all of their needs. Of course most moms, especially working moms, must have some type of support, whether it's a spouse, grandparents or other family members, or some other type of additional childcare. Clearly we cannot be two places at once, so this cannot be done all on our own. However the amount that we manage on our own creates habits and a true work ethic which can translate into very desirable characteristics for an employer. So rather than overlook a working mom for fear that she will be less reliable or less focused, I think in many cases the employer needs to realize she will be potentially the best candidate for all the reasons mentioned above. We can do it all and do it just as well as those who aren't moms as long as we are given a chance to try.