mother's day in the workplace

todays "career" supplement in the newspaper had a mother's day feature about how to do the whole work life balance thing if you're a mother of teenagers. the premise of the article was that a woman is likely to be parenting teens at the peak of her career, senior management roles were mentioned more than once.
the whole thing made me see red. what, senior managers are the only ones who need to strike a balance? is that because the rest of us aren't committed to the job? or because our families don't count? or because the balance is easier when you have less responsibilty at work?
i am the lowest form of life in my job, i'd be lower than the cleaner if i wasn't also the cleaner and the work life balance still isn't a picnic:

• i'm edgy about the kids calling because mobile phones are frowned on
• if i told them to call reception my business would not be my own
• if there is an emergency it better be on monday (when i'm home) because if i miss any time i wont be paid for it, there is no paid family leave for the likes of me
• a senior manager makes the rules, they can organise their diary any way they wish, if i disappear for a bathroom break someone will ask where i went
• i earn less than a senior manager so i can't so easily pay for services to make my life easier and the balance more achievable
• if i take too much family time i'm regarded as uninterested
• and i cant make up for it by working from home

gah! the reason folks want more money (as one might earn in a senior position) is because it makes life easier. when they write an article about the difficulty of holding a senior position and being a mum am i supposed to take it seriously????

and the after thought: it's a very good thing that somebody is recognising that teens and tweens still need their mums (and dads), so often it is assumed that it's only the littlies who have specific needs for care