I don't know how many of you watch Grey's Anatomy, but I absolutely love that show. Anyway, last night there was a scene where Dr. Bailey, a female doctor was in a heated discussion with her husband Tucker about her working too much. Tucker's position was that Dr. Bailey worked more than she was home with their two year old son. He does not like the idea of Tuck being in daycare. Let me add that Tucker and Dr. Bailey are separated and Tucker was a stay-at-home-dad. Dr. Bailey's defence was that after giving birth to Tuck she did not have the luxury of taking a year off of work to be home with him and not expect her career to suffer so she went back to work.
This was a powerful scene. It make me think of a few issues. For one thing, why is it that if a women decides to take a leave from her job/career to raise her children her job may not be secure. Either not available to her upon return or no pay while she's on leave. This puts women in an extremely tough position of having to choose between their families and their careers. What if your family needs the two incomes or if you're a single mother?
The second issue I thought about was the feelings of women. Sometimes there's much guilt and shame that comes with not being able to stay home to raise your family or simply wanting to be a working mother. For so many years society has dictated that a "good mother" is one who stays home. You would think that in this year of 2008 that society's ideas would have evolved a lot more concerning this issue. What do you think?
6 comments:
Tom I hope you see this. Somehow I deleted you comment. I'm still trying to get use to blogging.
Anyway... It sounds like you and your wife work at a great company, but would you say this is the norm?
Me again Tom. I took a closer look at that act. Thanks for pointing that info. out to me.
I think women should be able to take time from work to care for a newborn or at anytime in the child's life when special attention and/or care is required without putting her career or job in jeopardy. The same should apply to the male in the family should he be the one that is mutually decided to give the care. I'm sure that in this day and age that something should be able to be worked out with the employer. I believe there are laws that protect that right, I'm not sure.
I agree. It isn't fair that a woman has to feel like she has to choose between her career and her kids. Women were made by god to be the ones to give birth to a child...it isn't like you can just decide that your husband will be the one. (in a typical case) Since this is the case, every place should be understanding and accomodating to a woman if she has a child and needs time off from a job to be with the child. Alot of places are very good about this but unfortunately not all are. At my brothers company they recently added something in the employee benefits which is that if you are a husband and your wife has a newborn than the company gives the man a paid 2 weeks off "maternity leave" so that he can be with his wife and then at home to help her and the new baby get adjusted. I thought this was really good because alot of times the male doesnt have this option and it is either that they can't take off from the job or if they do they won't be paid. With this option it allows the male to be of support to his family while not having to worry about financial issues.
It depends of the education each individual have an how much they are willing to sacrifice. I mentioned before that in my block I have more stay home Dads than Moms. It was their decision to stay home due to economical sence or nurturing style.
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