40% of breadwinners are now mothers. Stay-at home dads are more common now. Even though it’s hard to let go of the stereotypical image of the man to bring the money home rather than taking care of the children and family –it is now a reality –a report suggests.

Most women want to be more than just “moms”.

People often believe that stay at home moms are better for raising children but they forget the fact that women first are individuals and then wives /moms etc. It is inherent in every individual to find/make their own identity. As much we choose to not believe it –work forms at least 80% of a person’s identity. Our work gives a fruitful meaning to our life. Have you ever come across a woman who wants to do something? Something more than just looking after the house and children. –Yes, I know the answer is yes. Everyday I will come across a woman friend 30 or 50 who wants to do something –something, which will define her. Very few women are just happy as being moms. I am not saying that there isn’t a woman who just wants to raise children –of course there are plenty –but reasons to just raise children are probably because they believe they cannot find a job worthy of them and so they choose not to. This is not a good reason to not work-everybody has to start somewhere and I think each woman should take the step to find a work that she enjoys. Most stay at home moms that I meet are often lunching with their friends engaging in endless gossip and wandering in the malls looking for something they already have in their closet! I am talking about those women here who do not need to work for money. Even these women should find something to do. They should start volunteering in their local schools or find a cause to make the society better or even try to find work in a store they love –but spending their time just shopping or gossiping is a total waste of human talent.

 

Primary bread earners or partial bread earners –working and not just looking after the children and the house is overall good for the women, their children and their home. Of course, economically it always makes sense for the women to work but also in most cases if women are able to put in few hours of her day to some kind of work which is separate from the household work –it will also give her a better sense of being.

 

Written by Suchitra Sharma