I was disagreeing to a lot of points
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-openpage/article2355411.ece
#posted by [ ranjani.sathish ]
As I was reading this article today morning, I was mentally disagreeing to a lot of points mentioned. I have been on both sides of the grass. I was a working mother once and quite aware of the difficulties of being one. So no offence meant to any working mother ! I thought may be I would quote the sentences where I had a different take.
Rekha, a young competent IT professional, says that her son will enjoy the luxury and happiness of owning expensive toys as a benefit of her additional income.
Children, as far as I understand, do not really need expensive toys to be happy. Most of the children are very happy playing outdoors - in the sand, water, park OR indoors - with empty cartons, thermocoles, shredding old newspapers and so many other things which we think as trash. I think it is the parents who feel compelled to buy expensive toys for the kids.
The working mother occupies a very important role in the family. She commands respect from her children because she exhibits the characteristics of an industrious person, full of self-confidence, maturity, decision-making capacity, intelligence and accountability. When children identify with their parents, these qualities are imparted to them.
This is a very biased statement. Do mothers who stay at home not have any of the characteristics mentioned ? It essentially depends on the individual. It does not matter if it is a male or female or working or stay-at-home person. What you are and what you feel about yourself, is what you transmit to others. It could be your home or your work place. Children can easily pick up our vibrations.
Children think that it would improve their status among their mates when their parents are employed.
I am honestly stunned reading this statement. I presume she means "when mother is also working" when she says " their parents are employed". It never crossed my mind that young innocent minds can think that way, unless this thought has been transmitted from the home environment.
Typically, working mothers harbour higher educational aspirations for their children
Again a statement that left me speechless. What is the basis for this statement ? Why should stay at home moms want anything less for her kids ? I am baffled.
Sometimes, on the negative side, boys of working mothers showed bad results in school. The child gets more attached to the servant maid or the babysitter than the parent. The babysitter needs to be treated with equal importance like a member of the family. Malini, a doctor and mother of a schoolgoing kid, says that the maid cannot be left behind even during summer vacation trips as her son is attached to her. But these are minor issues which can be overcome.
In my opinion these are NOT minor issues, where a child cannot live without the maid. What is the probability of permanance of these people in a child's life ? When a maid quits and leaves suddenly, won't the child have emotional issues ? These are major issues that people need to worry about, than expensive toys for their kids.
Working mothers often possess the skills necessary for responding creatively to the increased stress their children face while advancing in their own career.
What ?? From my own personal experience, I never had time for any "creative" ways to handle my child's problems, when I was dealing with my own stress of managing home and career. When my home related tasks and office work consume most of my time, where do I have the time, energy and effort required to handle other problems ?
I know it is not easy being a working mother. It involves a lot of struggle and sacrifice. Every person makes their own choices for various reasons. But I know for sure that some of the reasons mentioned in the article are not good enough to highlight the pluses of being a working mother.
How do these people get these kind of articles published?
Agree with your counters 100%. My mom was not working, that never made me think any less of her nor prevented me from pursuing higher education/career.
Posted by
yaadayaada |
8:02 PM
YY, like you said, I was shocked that such an article has been published in "The Hindu". Check my FB page :-).
Posted by
ranjani.sathish |
8:39 PM
I thought everything was reverse with working mom.. Not sure what the author is trying to say.. May she is a working mom and wants to justify her position. I agree with you..it really doesn't matter whether mom is working or at home..Its individual that matters..how they bring up their children..
Posted by
Thava |
11:07 PM
I agree with you Ranjani. Poor article quality. The expensive toy line is the most funny one. I don't know how many of these Malini's and Rekha's are original characters. They are mostly in the mind of the author I guess.A lot of these open page articles seem to be written in undue haste with biased analysis.
Posted by
Karthik |
12:56 PM
Thava and Karthik, as you guys pointed out, it seems more like the author's justification of her own decision and it is really sad if she considers these important reasons for working.
Posted by
ranjani.sathish |
6:10 PM
I have some rather rude responses to the piece, but I shall behave myself :)
Honestly Ranj, i keep wondering, did the author read this piece before it went to press to see how false it rang?
Posted by
the mad momma |
1:46 PM
MM, that is so unlike you :-).But yes, this article makes you want to give really rude responses.
Posted by
ranjani.sathish |
11:01 AM
I am a working woman myself and i am laughing loud at each of these. So foolish to print such crap.Not even a single sentence feels right there.
Posted by
Sumana |
10:49 AM