mommy track

noun

1. a career path for women who are willing to forgo promotions, raises, etc., so as to spend more time with their children.

mommy track

/ ˈmɒmɪ /

noun

1. a path in life in which a woman devotes most of her time to her children and home rather than to her career

Word History and Origins

Origin of mommy track¹

First recorded in 1989

Example Sentences

Because office attendance is still often seen as a proxy for productivity, working remotely full time, or working more days from home than others do in a hybrid workplace, could become an updated version of the “mommy track,” a career path in which flexibility comes at the price of lost chances for advancement.

From New York Times

And maternity leave can derail them into a “mommy track” with fewer opportunities for promotion, even at companies with generous leave policies.

From Washington Post

Her new job, on a team that some refer to as the “mommy track,” affords her much more time at home with her husband and two older children in their Astoria, Queens, apartment.

From New York Times

Once on the “mommy track,” women make less money and have fewer opportunities for advancement.

From New York Times

Gamba made a point of telling co-workers she didn’t want children, she said, hoping to avoid the perception she was on the “mommy track” rather than the “promotion track.”

From Washington Post