When I decided to give up my job to bring up my children in the late 90’s. It was a choice that I made. I decided that I wanted to stay at home, I felt I wanted to be with my children till they were at the age where they were independent little people. To me that was my job. It is as worthwhile as working for an employer. I was fortunate, my husband worked, but we did struggle with one income.
I felt I made the right choice for our family. Yet when people asked me “What do you do ?” “Where do you work” – why did I feel I had to apologise, I felt I was a second class citizen.
Why did I feel like this. I guess because I wasn’t in a career or that I wasn’t working for an employer. For some reason in the the 21st Century if you decide to stay at home to be with the children, you immediately feel guilty. Why is that ? Why has it changed so much ?
I think women need to support the choices of women. If a woman decides to be at home with her children, to not have external childcare, then she should be supported in her choice. If a woman decides she wants to carry on working for an employer, pursue her career, use external childcare, then that is her choice. To me both are of equal status. We support each other.
Also women who have taken a career break need to be supported back into the workforce. So many women fall into this category, where they have taken time out and yet it is very difficult for them to get back into employment and pursue a career.
We need to have more understanding. In a modern world we need to be flexible in our thinking. Women should be treasured in society for all we do.
