Guest Author - Vanette (Vannie) Ryanes

If you're a working mom --- or thinking of becoming one --- you'll want to check out Working Mother magazine's newest list of top 100 companies for working mothers.

Going to work when you have young children can be challenging, but picking the right employer can make all the difference. Each year, Working Mother analyzes family-friendly (or unfriendly) policies of companies across the United States and chooses the 100 that are most conducive to balancing work and family responsibilities. This year's successful 100 companies tout their use of flex-time, allowing mothers to share full-time jobs or schedule flexible shifts. The magazine also paid particular attention this year to child care options and the advancement of women within the company.

Another trend the magazine researched was how some companies are paying attention to the child care needs of older kids. Some are offering summer camp programs or finding other ways to help working mothers provide for their middle-schoolers and teens.

The top 10 companies for working mothers for 2003, according to Working Mother magazine, are:

Abbott Laboratories
Booz Allen Hamilton
Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.
Eli Lilly and Company
Fannie Mae
General Mills
IBM Corporation
Prudential Financial Inc.
S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc.
Wachovia Corporation

Article by Sonia Meyers
Childrens Books Host