Recently, BlogHer featured a post by Maija's Mommy Moments about her experience at the doctor's office. She strategically and deliberately wears jeans instead of her business clothes to her children's pediatrician because she believes he treats her differently when she wears mommywear. Here is what she had to say.
As I was getting dressed this morning, Hubbie and I were discussing the plan for the day. The one that involved a doctor’s appointment, a sick child, one who needed to get to the school bus and then of course ballet after school. When I finally said I had to run, he looked at me and asked why I was wearing jeans. A reasonable question since it’s the middle of the week and my office is notoriously dressy.
But this morning Bugaboo had an appointment at the Ear Nose and Throat specialist. The one whose wife gave up her career to stay at home with their two boys so he could work 80 hour weeks. I know this because the boys went to the same pre-school two days a week that Sugar Plum went to five days a week.
“You may not want to hear this,” I said, “but they treat me differently if they think I work”.
via www.blogher.com
Can I just say that if I thought a physician was treating me and/or my kids differently because "I worked," I would find another physician. That simple. While my kids are now grown, I can honestly say this thought never ever crossed my mind, and we definitely put in our time at the pediatrician, ear,nose and throat specialists, allergist, and lets not forget the opthamologist.Maybe, because many of the physicians we saw were women \ I just assumed they were balancing their lives as much as I was.
However, just because I never experienced it, and never have heard anyone say anything like this in my entire life, is this really an issue for working moms? The women over a BlogHer seem to indicate that Maija is not alone. I was shocked.
Do you feel that health care professionals feel that you are less-than, because you work outside of the house?