Why WAHMs Should Be Banned From Internet Business

First off, before I get flamed for the title alone (though I am sure that will happen anyway), let me just say that I have no problem with women who are mothers who work at home. None whatsoever. Should I have a child at some point, I will do the same. My problem lies with the term itself, the fact that it exists, and the connotations that it has. I also believe that the term is detrimental to the women that use it, and that it should be dropped from usage in a professional setting.

For those unfamiliar with the title, a WAHM is a Work At Home Mom, (or Mum, depending on where you're from.) I'm not entirely sure when this term became trendy, but it has spread across the Internet like crazy over the last year or so, and every time I see it I cringe.

I'm sure for the women who use it, it has a cozy kind of feeling to it. It is a way of declaring that you're a mom. Well that's nice, but as a professional, that's not my first concern, and any employer you work with isn't likely to be concerned with that either. (Unless of course, you're working in some sort of parenting related role, in which case, have at it with the WAHM term.)

When it comes to business (E Business included), qualifications and skills are what count, not the fact that you have children. Would you go into a real time job interview and declare before proceedings had even started that you were a mother? I doubt it.

When it comes to doing business online, you're a professional. Sure, you have kids, and that's great, but many people have children. Women who work in offices or factories or governments don't call themselves WOHMs (Work Out Of Home Moms.), and men who do the same don't call themselves WOHDs either. Please note that I am not saying that being a mother should be a secret, I am simply saying it should not be in your professional working title.

The term WAHM conjures up an image of a frazzled woman in bathrobe and slippers with a toddler crawling around under her feet drooling and chewing on a crayon whilst she frantically tries to do an assignment for an employer, batting the kid away from poking its fingers in the power point every few seconds. Even if this is the case sometimes, (and we all have our off days) that's not the image you should be projecting to an employer.

Women using the term WAHM should also be aware that in many cases, the term has become synonymous with cheap labor and poorly done work, and 'WAHMs' are often targeted for low paying work, not to mention scams.

The title WAHM places central focus on the fact that you're a mom, and not on the fact that you're a professional, and whilst being a mom is undoubtedly a very important, if not the most important thing in a mother's life, it is not an effective mode of advertising one's services.

For example, if you are in the writing business, then you're a writer. Labeling yourself a WAHM is effectively selling yourself short. You should be focusing on your skills, your talents, and your achievements. Those are what will get you jobs and earn you money. Using the writing example again, have you been published? Have you won awards with your writing? If so, then that's what your 'title' should be. Why would you say WAHM when you could be saying "Published Author" or "Award Winning Writer" ?

You may be a WAHM, but you're also you're a business woman, a professional, and ultimately, a person whose life has relevance and meaning outside the act of being a mother. We all wear different hats at different times during the day, and it is not only okay, but sometimes beneficial to occasionally take the 'Mommy' hat off, and put the 'Professional' one on.