The Most Important Job in the World: Why Motherhood Deserves a New Title

In connection with the teachings of our Sages, that women were not involved in the sin of the Golden Calf, and that through them we were redeemed and will be redeemed again, I felt it was important to share an insight.

“What Do You Do?”

One woman shared: “One day, I went to apply for a driver’s license, and the clerk asked me what I do for a living. I didn’t know how to define my work as a mother or what to answer. Seeing my hesitation, he tried to clarify: ‘Do you work at something, or are you just… one of those?’

‘Of course I work,’ I replied. ‘I’m a mother.’

But the clerk responded firmly: ‘We don’t list “mother” as an option. We’ll write “homemaker.”’

A New Answer

I completely forgot about that incident, until recently, when something similar happened at a government office. The clerk there was clearly a career woman — efficient, high-ranking, with an impressive title: ‘official investigator.’

‘What is your occupation?’ she asked.

I don’t know what made me answer the way I did, but the words came out naturally: ‘I am a researcher in the field of child development and social interaction.’

Redefining the Role

The clerk was stunned. Her pen froze mid-air as she stared at me in disbelief. I repeated my title slowly, emphasizing the key words. To my amazement, she carefully wrote it down in large, bold letters on the form.

‘May I ask…’ she said with great interest, ‘what exactly does your research involve?’

In a calm voice, I heard myself respond: ‘I run an ongoing research program (what mother doesn’t?) both in the lab and in the field (which I would normally call home and outside of it). I work for the benefit of the entire research unit (my family), and I already have four publications (my children). Naturally, this is one of the most demanding positions in the human field (is there any mother who would disagree?), and I usually work about 14 hours a day (in reality, closer to 24). The rewards go far beyond financial — they’re deeply connected to personal fulfillment.’

A Moment of Recognition

You could feel the seriousness with which the clerk completed the form. When she finished, she stood up and personally escorted me to the door.

When I arrived home, still excited about my “new profession,” my fellow lab partners — my daughters, ages 13, 7, and 3, ran to greet me. Upstairs, I could hear the newest “prototype” in my child development program (my six-month-old baby) testing a new vocalization system.

I felt victorious, I had beaten the bureaucracy. I was officially registered as holding a high-level, irreplaceable position in humanity, and not just “another mother.”

Motherhood… what a remarkable career — especially when it carries the right title.

Don’t forget to be grateful for what you have and what you’ve been given. As one wise person said: “If the only prayer you ever say in your life is ‘Thank You, God for what I have’ — that alone is enough.”