Airbuswantabe - Please read Archie's advice - he is right on the money! He and I both work for UPS and I can tell you there are plenty of women flying cargo; hopefully Mega will chime in here, she is one of Brown aviatrixs.
I'd say contact women-in-aviation (www.wai.org) and ask for a sponsor who works for a cargo airline. That way you'll be able to hear more about the pro's and con's of the lifestyle. Your mom is very wrong, she lives in the old "pass benefit" mentality where the travel benefits one can get at most passenger airlines were seemingly more important than any other benefits including: pay, retirement, health insurance, etc., etc. She is wrong, she just doesn’t know it and probably never will. As far as your dad and your grandfather? Wow, thanks for their service to our country but unfortunately they are wrong too.

Id' say focus on flying and once you become marketable to the airlines, you will know exactly where you'd like to end up.

Now the best advice I can give you though is this. Immediately change your call-sign to Boeingwantabe and your life will be so much brighter! As a pilot you should always remember this: speed and altitude are your friends - so is your rudder! Sorry airbusluvers - couldn't resist!