 |
| |
Moms as People: A New Study
Suniya Luthar, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at Columbia University, is conducting interesting research into how women are coping in their roles as mothers. What kind of support do they experience from their mates and the culture at large, and how does that impact them?
So far, she says nearly 2500 women have filled out her online questionaire. She is going to continue collecting data through the summer of 2007, then post her results then.
Her goal? To "try and understand what motherhood means for contemporary women themselves — and not just because of implications for their children (as has been the norm in developmental research)."
Based on the fact that other studies have consistently found that women feel unsupported as mothers--and in fact, receive less support than virtually any other government in the industrialized world--I wouldn't be surprised if she found widespread discontentment and frustration. What I'd like to know is if fathers feel this same discontentment--and for the same reasons. Perhaps if this wasn't framed as a "mother" issue, but a "parents' issue" faced by men and women, we'd see more action.
 Stumble It!
It Still Takes a Village, But Is Anyone Listening?
We don't need to read a study to know that corporate America has been cutting back on benefits for employees. And employer-subsidized, on site child care has always been an unusual benefit, offered by those few enlightened employeers looking to reach out to women.
But it still was sad to read a Boston Globe story about a company that is about to axe a day care center for employees.
I don't agree with the Globe writer's premise that the reason companies are pulling back on such benefits is because the baby boomer employees are no longer pushing for them (they're now concerned with aging parents and other issues). Younger parents, if anything, expect employers to be more accommodating of their work-family needs than baby boomers.
The reason why companies are pulling back on this benefit is the same reason they're pulling back on all benefits. To squeeze out more profits in an increasingly competitive, globalized economy.
Day care centers are hugely expensive to operate. And, they may be of dubious recruiting value, especially in an era when employers are slashing medical benefits and only offer minimal maternity leave. Still it does seem sad that these days, even progressive companies are not bothering to try to answer the child care dilemma for employees.
Hillary Clinton--supposedly still mulling a run for President (does anyone doubt she is going to do this?)---is starting to make the press circuit, arguing her book, It Takes A Village, is more relevant than ever. It will be interesting to see if she would make work-family issues--and government support---a centerpiece of her campaign and the public policy debate.
Stumble It!
|
|
| |
 |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
