As other families begin to leave the soccer fields, Kristen Whitmire kneels down to feed one of her daughters, Keira, 1, graham crackers in Athens, Ga., on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2014. Whitmire is a mother of two daughters, ages 5 and 1. Sheís an optician and works nine-hour days, sometimes longer. Her husband, Kirk, who was jobless for a little over a year, is now an actor in a television series called The Originals. His new job requires him to be out of town five or six nights a week. Whitmire is the girlís primary caretaker most of the week. This story is familiar to 31 million other mothers with children under the age of 18 in the U.S., according to the U.S. Department of Labor in 2012. (Photo/ Hannah Pap Rocki, hannahpaprocki@gmail.com)

Kaylen Whitmire, 5, eats cookie cake for her coachís birthday after soccer practice in Athens, Ga., on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2014. Her coach cut her piece too big, so the icing got all over her hands and face, creating a mess. Kaylen had soccer practice every Thursday and Saturday until the end of October. While Kaylen was making a mess and looking around for her mom, Whitmire was chasing her baby, Keira. (Photo/ Hannah Pap Rocki, hannahpaprocki@gmail.com)

Whitmire straps her daughter, Keira, into the car while Kaylen climbs in through the trunk after her soccer practice in Athens, Ga., on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2014. Things are chaotic like this with both girls most of the time. The family was on the way to Earth Fare where they go on Thursdays to discounted dinners for family night. The girls love eating dinner at Earth Fare, or what they call ìthe place with the tomato.î (Photo/ Hannah Pap Rocki, hannahpaprocki@gmail.com)

Kaylen, Keira and Kristen Whitmire, from left to right, put together a puzzle at Keiraís day care in Athens, Georgia, on Thursday, November 13, 2014. While Kristen was busy talking to Keiraís teacher about her biting someone that day, Kaylen took apart this puzzle. What started as an aggravation to get the puzzle put back together before they left turned into a fun family bonding activity. Even the baby helped. (Photo/ Hannah Pap Rocki, hannahpaprocki@gmail.com)

Kaylen, right, gives her mom, Kristen, sass about how many Pop-Tarts sheís going to eat at their home in Athens, Georgia, on Friday, October 24, 2014. Pop-Tarts are one of Kaylenís favorite snacks, and she canít resist eating them even if her mom says no. (Photo/ Hannah Pap Rocki, hannahpaprocki@gmail.com)

Kristen Whitmire washes dishes in the kitchen of her home as her daughter, Kaylen, eats Pop-Tarts in Athens, Georgia, on Friday, October 24, 2014. While Whitmire did housework, Kaylen played in and out of the house, entertaining herself. (Photo/ Hannah Pap Rocki, hannahpaprocki@gmail.com)

Kaylen Whitmire walks down the hallway of her school towards her mother in Athens, Georgia, on Thursday, November 13, 2014. Kaylen has to stay after school for about three hours until her mother, Kristen can pick her up after work. ìA few days ago Kaylen was crying because she was tired of having to stay at school so late and that just broke my heart,î Whitmire said.†(Photo/ Hannah Pap Rocki, hannahpaprocki@gmail.com)

Kaylen Whitmire stares, in deep thought, out the window of her motherís car after school in Athens, Georgia, on Thursday, November 13, 2014. They were on the way to get her sister, Keira, from day care. (Photo/ Hannah Pap Rocki, hannahpaprocki@gmail.com)

Kristen Whitmire, right, signs her daughters up for kids meals at Earth Fare as they wait in the cart in Athens, Georgia, on Thursday, November 13, 2014. This is a Thursday tradition in their family. (Photo/ Hannah Pap Rocki, hannahpaprocki@gmail.com)

Kaylen Whitmire, 5, talks with her mom, Kristen, at the dining room table while she practices her alphabet for homework in Athens, Ga., on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2014. After Kristen leaves work, picks her girls up from school, goes to any sports practices and runs errands, she sits down with her girls at home. They have dinner. And Kristen helps Kaylen with homework every night just before putting her to bed. (Photo/ Hannah Pap Rocki, hannahpaprocki@gmail.com)

Kirk Whitmire, left, laughs as Kristen wraps Keira up in a towel after a bath in the sink at their home in Athens, Georgia, on Friday, November 21, 2014. Kirk is usually home Fridays and Saturdays. He does as much as he can to help out with the girls and enjoy his time with them during this time. Itís strange for him to be away from them for so long. While he was unemployed, he was at home with his daughters 24/7. (Photo/ Hannah Pap Rocki, hannahpaprocki@gmail.com)

Kristen Whitmire brushes her daugherís, Keiraís, teeth before bed in Athens, Georgia, on Friday, November 21, 2014. Kristen admits that being a mother is hard, especially a mother who works full time out of the home. ìThe toughest part about being a working mom is the guilt you feel for not being there for your children when they need you sometimes,î Whitmire said. She believes the economic benefits outweigh the bad, though. And she cherishes every moment she has with her daughters: ìWorking all week just makes the weekend that much more special. There is nothing better than sleeping in on a Saturday and cuddling with my girls.î After sleeping in on Saturdays, Kristen tries to always take her girls to the Athens Farmerís Market, another tradition of theirs. According to an analysis of censuses and American Community Surveys (ACS) by the Pew Research Center, 65 percent of married mothers had jobs in 2011. Only 37 percent had jobs in 1968. Whitmire isnít alone in this. Sheís doing her best, and she has support. Sheís also providing a positive role model for her children. And there are no negative effects on children with working mothers, according to Malissa Clark, Ph.D., assistant professor at the University of Georgia. Clark researches industrial organizational psychology and womenís studies. Despite this, 74 percent of people in a Pew Research Center survey in 2013 agreed that the increase of working mothers outside of the home makes it harder for parents to raise a family. Public opinion and research have not caught up. The social pressures on mothers, specifically working mothers, is still very strong. Awareness about this topic can create more understanding, acceptance and maybe even encouragement of working mothers. (Photo/ Hannah Pap Rocki, hannahpaprocki@gmail.com)