A minor skirmish was ignited in the blogosphere recently after one blogger said that the stress shouldered by mothers who work from home pales in comparison to the juggling act required of mothers who work outside of the home at offices and other at other non-home job sites.

Blogger Samantha Ford of Temporarily Me, who has two children and works full-time outside of the home, was unhappy with an installment of the video blog (vlog) Momversation, which featured mothers who blog from home as “typical,” stressed out, working moms. Ford took umbrage at the vlog’s description of a working mother:

“Let’s talk about being a REAL working mom shall we? Not this fluff about working from home because I’ve been there too. I’ve worked from home, designing, freelance writing and trying to manage my house at the same time. I was doing what I could to keep us afloat while home with my children.

There is no comparison. None. I don’t care how high up on the blogging ladder you are: working from home is not even in the same realm as being a Working Mother . . . Balancing work life and home life while working from home? It’s a f-----‘ joke.”

This entry set off writer/blogger Lindsay Ferrier of Suburban Turmoil who wrote a post in response entitled, “In Defense of the Work-at-Home-Mom:”

“. . . I don’t get all this animosity toward mothers who work from home. I don’t think for a moment that my job is harder than that of the average [work-outside-the-home-mom], but I certainly wouldn’t call it easier, either.

For one thing, I think it’s fair to say I have not one, but two full-time jobs. One involves meeting all of my writing deadlines and running three blogs, the other consists of teaching and caring for two small children, 24-7. Cooking and cleaning for six is basically another part-time job on top of that. Essentially, I have no free time. No vacation time. No days off. I am always working on something, and I am always behind. Much like a WOHM, I’d imagine.” (June 2009)