Salaries are rising, and a mother's economic value increased 9.2% in the last year
According to Insure.com, a source for insurance information, the company's 12th annual Mother's Day Index shows the work many mothers typically perform for their households could justify an annual income of more than $126,725.
This is the first time the amount has topped six figures.
Photo: Getty Images
"Mothers do a lot more than they're given credit for," says Insure.com Managing Editor Nupur Gambhir. "We hope that by showcasing all the indispensable work mothers do, there will be more advocacy for them at home and in the workplace."
To compile the index, values were placed on such responsibilites as cooking dinner and helping with homework and matched to tasks in real-world jobs. The salary was then calculated based on wage information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Moms spend time baking, cleaning, cooking, and teaching – occupations that saw, in many cases, significant wage increases from last year.
For many mothers, the work they do includes a full-time job outside the home — essentially doing two jobs but only being compensated for one.
And some moms, such as those caring for children with special needs, do even more. One study found that mothers of children with disabilities need to spend an additional three hours a week on childcare and housework that other parents don't.
"Considering all the work that mothers do, they're irreplaceable." Gambhir says.