There has been much discussion in the news recently about the evolution of the female worker and the need for a comprehensive new approach to creating and implementing family friendly workplace polices.

The Shriver Report, A Woman’s Nation Changes Everything, states that women are half of all U.S. workers and mothers are the primary breadwinners or co-breadwinners in nearly two-thirds of American families. Furthermore, the report states that men and women agree government and business are out of touch with the realities of how most families live and work today with families needing more flexible work schedules and all-embracing child care policies.

This is not a new concept for mothers. If you sit down with any mother and ask her, she will enlighten you about her needs. Many women of my post-baby boomer generation face hard choices everyday when it comes to our lives and our children. As a mother, I have felt the burden and struggle of raising a family, pursuing a career and making ends meet for a very long time. I am not alone. en. Do we take our inadequate maternity leave; return to work; send most of our salary to child care and miss time with our children, but pursue our career? On the other hand, do we stay home with our children; go into debt; lose out on our pensions and career ladder, but have quality time with our children?

There are no easy choices, however I do believe there are easy answers. In this day and age of advanced communication and technology, a systematic policy overhaul must take place; throwing out the old template and replacing it with a creative framework that encompasses the needs and demands of the 21st Century American family. These outside-of-the-box policies would provide mothers with a positive environment that promotes productivity and stability within their workplace as well as support at home. Furthermore, it addresses the difficult reality that millions of families across our country face who want to be productive members of our society, but not at the cost of their children.

As a nation we must step down off our “family values” soapbox; listen to mothers; and get real about creating and enforcing sustainable and effective policies that support the importance of the family unit. Then and only then will true enlightenment be attained.