Hats off to all working moms. They are a special breed of
women! But take it easy!
To be a working mom and housewife is a tall order. Very
tall! Not so long ago the role of women was perceived to be that of housewife –
to be at home and attending to the typical house chores, bring up children and
be prim and proper in waiting for hubby with a nice home cooked meal upon his
return from home.
It was inevitable that as society became more enlightened
which especially started after the last World War, a change occurred in respect
of what the natural role of women should be. It is especially the political and
societal movements of specific feminist pressure groups that attributed to the
past few decades’ progress in respect of not only women’s rights but also a new
look at what their role should be in a relationship – whether through
traditional marriage or a formal agreement of living together.
But, what they could never change or foresee was that only
women can be the bearers of children. So what now? Even in the most liberal
society, a woman will still be a Mom. Will still be responsible to bring up her
children to a certain degree. The theorists shrugged their shoulders and said
“Ok, let us call them Homemakers. It would sound better than the gender based
housewives.”
However, housework is not always a lifetime commitment: many
homemakers and Moms, for economic or personal reasons, return to the workplace.
Therefore, the dilemma is the dual role women have to fulfil – how to be
working mom and housewife.
Working women are under pressure meeting the demands of
workplace, family and home. Here are a
few hints that just might help in coping as a woman:
·
It is of utmost importance that you must
establish a sound routine of planning your week and day. It is important to
prioritize – so ensure you write down the top three things you must do every
day. Plan your week in advance. The weekly plan does not need to be very
detailed – just address the major must-do-things. In addition, very important –
do not forget the must-do-list of the children and hubby!
·
Delete all the trivial or non-essential things
from your list. Here is where you have to delegate this non-essential or not so
important tasks or chores to the children and hubby, for instance to clean up
the lawn of dog poo! The best advice is to always do your most important things
first.
·
You must learn to say no. You have to be cruel
to be kind. You have planned your week in advance. You are coping with the
pressure of two jobs. Do not let anyone interfere with your schedule. If you
cannot fit them into your schedule, say NO!
·
Remember, there is no such thing as Super Woman!
It is difficult for a perfectionist to accept, but sometimes it would not be
possible to finish everything on your task list. Prioritize what has to be done
and if you do not get through everything today, tomorrow is another day!
To be a working mom is a blessing and privilege. But never
burn yourself out. Take it easy. Take charge. Do not let anybody dictate to
you. You must dictate!
