Pages

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Modern Motherhood – Changes and Challenges



“Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother.”

Times have changed and so has the way of mothering a child. They were days when elder women in the family used to guide a girl towards this new phase of her life but today with changing times, there are books and internet. To be a good mother was a dilemma earlier but a pressure now.

At home:::: You are working, then how can you be a good mother…. Are you going to breastfeed and co-sleep with the baby… who will take care of the baby when you are out working… Won’t you feel guilty for not giving enough time to your baby…. etc.

At Work:::: Will you be able to manage work on time with a baby at home…. Will you be as fresh with ideas after a sleep deprived night… will you be able to attend the meetings or travel for work …. What is on priority your work or baby… and so on.
Yes with many aids in market, keeping baby happy and hygienic without investing much time is easy, but that’s not all. Modern and liberal women has many more challenges to cope up with.

Is liberal motherhood bad for feminism?
No. If you have a way, you are confident about, then certainly not. May be what is bad, is the inability of Indian work culture to have flexible schedules and work situations, where nursing moms are respected and are provided with appropriate space. May be what is bad is for her elders to think that she cannot handle work and home both. May be what is bad is sometimes the woman is made to feel sorry for even being a mother.  We need corporates and bosses to understand that if they give a little flexibility, provide them the right working environment, and focus on results rather than time in the office; then women or even men for that matter, can practice any kind of parenting that fits their style, life and family without having to choose parenting style or career.

Woman Vs Woman
9 out 10 times it’s a woman’s question that instills the guilt factor in a mother. You won’t feel more judgemental or guilty, then when another mother gives you just that weird look. Everyone is different and have their own style of raising their kids. Some want to make their kids independent from the start while others want to be with their kids at every step. One should respect each other’s feeling, and as a woman, support other women.

At work? Why feel embarrassed to ask for your needs
Sheryl Sandberg, the 43 year old Facebook COO, is a mother of two and an accomplished woman at work. She leaves office at 5:30 to be with her kids for dinner. She is fabulous at work, then why should the time she leaves office should be of concern to anyone?  As long as she is prompt in meetings, plans and finishes her work on deadlines, her motherhood style shouldn't be anyone’s business. She has opened up at work to ask for her rights being a mother and that has changed her life. Today she is an icon and her life can challenge any orthodox definition of being a good mother.

So, the problem is not your choice to be a liberal modern mother. The problem is that people judge personal decisions, and businesses don’t want to change the way they are. Ladies, it’s time to speak up like Sheryl did. Let the outside corporate world know that you can be passionate about your motherhood and still top the charts at work. Challenge the world and make the change happen!




No comments:

Post a Comment

Popular Posts