For many women in the U.S. and around the world, motherhood comes with career costs. Raising children tends to lead to lower wages and fewer work hours for mothers -- but not fathers -- in the United States and around the world . As a sociologist, I study how family relationships can shape your economic circumstances . In the past, I've studied how motherhood tends to depress women's wages , something social scientists call the " motherhood penalty ." I wondered: Can government programs that