{
  "id": 14322003,
  "title": "Raise a family, then pursue a career? The math doesn't work",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/raise-a-family-then-pursue-a-career-the-math-doesnt-work",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-13T23:52:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/opinion/20261014/raise-a-family-then-pursue-a-career-the-math-doesnt-work"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Social conservatives are telling American women they can \"have it all\" by following a specific sequence of events. According to the Heritage Foundation's Project 2025 Report, women should first focus on having children in their twenties and early thirties, then prioritize their careers in their forties and fifties. Project 2025 spokeswoman Emma Waters encourages women to \"brainstorm\" during their twenties and early thirties before accelerating their professional lives in their forties and fifties as their children become older.\n\nHowever, recent Census Bureau data indicates there is a significant issue with following this advice. Over half of American mothers become the primary family earners, responsible for more than 60% of household income, by the time their first child turns eight. More than 70% of mothers are the chief household breadwinner before their first child reaches the age of 18. On average, mothers spend more than six years as the primary wage earner for their families. Additionally, 20% of women start motherhood as the family breadwinner.\n\nThis suggests that the advice given by social conservatives may not be as practical or achievable as they claim. The data shows that many mothers are already in positions where they are the primary earners for their families by the time their children are young, making it difficult to pursue a career later on.",
  "summary": "Social conservatives now assure American women they can still “have it all” if they just do it in sequence, starting with early motherhood and later taking on a job. The Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 Report claims it’s a mistake for women to postpone childbearing to pursue higher education and begin their careers. Heritage spokeswoman Emma Waters advises women: “Use your twenties and early…",
  "key_points": [
    "Census data shows over half of American mothers become primary earners by child's 8th birthday.",
    "20% of women start motherhood as the family breadwinner, making career pursuit challenging."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The conservative recommendation to delay professional growth until later in life ignores the economic reality that most mothers must serve as primary breadwinners while their children are still young.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Raise a family, then pursue a career? The math doesn't work",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/14/raise-a-family-then-pursue-a-career-the-math-doesnt-work",
        "published": "2026-10-14T00:12:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}