Four years ago, I was featured in an interview with Ouders van Nu about juggling full-time work with family life as a mother. Sharing my story felt straightforward at the time, but revisiting it now brings fresh perspective.
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Dutch mothers maintain one of the highest labor participation rates in Europe after having children. However, they work far fewer hours compared to other EU countries. Only 10-15% of Dutch mothers work full-time, versus an average of 62% elsewhere in the EU.
This stems from cultural norms where women shoulder more childcare and men focus on paid work—a dynamic widely accepted here. As a result, full-time working mothers like me are often undervalued or seen as unconventional, potentially harmful to family and children.
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I've always worked full-time as a mother, never reducing below 40 hours a week—except during vacations, of course. This likely drew Ouders van Nu's attention for their feature on the 'rare' full-time working mom. Reading it today, much remains true: my children are older and more independent, and our routine fully integrates work and family.
Recently, I lamented to my son Luc while kissing him goodbye, 'Phew, I'm always working, aren't I?' He replied, 'Yeah, but you're almost always home too!' He feels secure with our setup. I'll confirm with my daughter Lotte soon.
Read also: Full-time working mothers take excellent care of their children
Reflecting on past interviews like this reinforces my choices. Four years on, my commitment to full-time work endures, though much has evolved while core elements persist.
I still work full-time, but boundaries have strengthened. Weekends include a few work hours, followed by dedicated family time. Evenings now feature relaxation: 1-2 hours of work, then Netflix with my husband Frank (or homework/games with Luc when he sports). I work solely in my office now—no more dining table chaos.
I've resumed morning workouts 2-3 times weekly, fostering calm amid new ventures like launching a site (stay tuned) and co-organizing a bloggers' event this fall with Marguerita from Marstyle and Esmée from Website4mama.
Thrilling opportunities ahead. I'll remain a full-time working mom—no more rush-hour commutes! What about you?
