When Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young was called into parliament last Thursday for an on-the-spot vote, rather than seek out the nanny who was a floor away, she did what any practical parent would do - she brought her daughter in with her. Not only did the senator suffer the humiliation of having her daughter ordered out of the chamber, but her mother could hear her screaming in a staffer’s arms through the door. What was the big faux pas? She had entered the patriarchal domain of the parliament and made visible her caring responsibilities. What does that say about the state of work-family balance in Australia’s top institution? Well it is pretty much a black hole!
Former senator, and mother of two, Natasha Stott Despoja pointed out the farcical nature of this whole incident, given the unsavoury behaviour commonly displayed by most politicians within the sanctity of parliament. And she quite rightly asks?
Why do we reserve such anger for a hard-working mother and a well-behaved child?
Perhaps - because the ideal worker, is constructed as care-free and someone who never lets their caring responsibilities be seen to be getting in the way of the job. As senator Barnaby Joyce, father of 4 children has never done - nor the prime minister for that matter - be seen to put caring roles in a visible spotlight or on par with their Job. In fact Barnaby Joyce was quick to accuse Sarah Hanson-Young’s actions as a political stunt.
Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick has been quick to point out here that for Sarah at least:
“She could bring a complaint under the Sex Discrimination Act that she’s been discriminated against because of her caring responsibilities”
but as Ms Broderick made clear in her Press Club Address earlier this year - what is needed is a greater attitudinal change - so that caring work and paid work are given equal value - and caring roles, are made more visible. With demographic change meaning an increasingly ageing population - if anything workers are going to have more not less caring responsibilities in the future. If men, like women made more visible their caring responsibilities, then workplaces would have no choice but to become more flexible to these needs. The reality is we need to work and care at the same time - and given the support to do so.
Possum turned 6 recently. In so many ways it seems to be a magic age. Still young enough to believe in tooth fairies, but old enough to be able to enjoy an expanding array of abilities. At six she loves scootering, climbing her granny and papa’s lychee tree, playing and dancing. She can now write and read, draw, play UNO, monopoly and chess. She writes wonderful love notes, gives the best hugs, and her argumentative skills are stupendous. It really is the Peter Pan of all ages - and I was glad to find a blogger who so eloquently agrees. If I could bottle an age - 6 would be a very fine year.
One of the biggest changes at 6 - that really had us clinking our champagne glasses- is that Possum has finally learned to self settle at night. While other children, with siblings probably learn this important skill way earlier than Poss, somehow our nightly shared reading session became a ‘rub my feet’ til i fall asleep mummy or daddy. While this indulgence seemed pretty petty really - we realised that the time was coming for this ritual to stop..for her sake and ours. Though it was a bit shaky the first few nights, she now accepts her new nightly routine and is proud, I think, of her growing maturity and independence.
Now perhaps, I’ll have a bit more time for blogging
Mothers of Australia received one of the best Mothers Day presents last Sunday. The announcement of a paid parental leave scheme, and cause for great celebration!!! - not only for families but for long time campaigners on this issue. See here.
Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick yesterday said the introduction of a publicly funded scheme — which will include 18 weeks leave paid at the minimum wage, or $544 a week — was a “major triumph”.
While I’ve had a couple of days to float about on a cloud of elation and admiration for our government for finally taking a stand on this issue there are a few things that concern me. Firstly, and most obvious, the paid parental leave scheme doesn’t come into place until 2011, after the next election. Better late than never? But seriously, why the wait when it has been sold as a scheme that will pay for itself through tax revenue?
Secondly, the 2 week accompanying paternity leave has been chopped, as has the superannuation contribution for the person on leave. The reason this concerns me, is that it sends a message that paternal involvement is of lesser importance and will likey be mothers who solely take the leave (which is fine if that’s what they want to do) and mothers who will again acrew gaps in their superannuation earnings. Theoretically the leave is transferable from parent to parent, but I will watch with interest to see what happens in practice. Will it add or detract from WoLFi? Meanwhile, it is a great start and I will happily eat my words.
The National Foundation of Australian Women (NFAW) are doing a great job getting behind some really important issues for women including paid parental and pay equity. One of their latest campaigns broaches a subject that is loved by some and loathed by many _ _x, as shown in the NFAW’s YouTube segment.
So why is the issue of tax so important to WoLFi? Basically because the tax model in Australia is based on the rather outmoded view of women as being still dependent on a male breadwinner. The reality is that dual income families now far outnumber the traditional model. However our tax system has not adjusted accordingly. If mothers return to the workforce after children they may loose the family tax benefit B, may loose some tax offsets, and will be slugged with the medicare levy. By becoming the secondary earner, mothers will potentially loose a third of their earning to these tax penalties. (See Marie Coleman, chair of the Social Policy Committee of NFAW, interview on ‘Life Matters’ for more).
It is no surprise that many women question whether it is worthwhile to go back to work after having children, when they are penalised by the tax system, and have to consider the added cost of child care. NFAW are putting a submission in to the ‘Henry Review’ which will look at changing our archaic tax system to one that is more gender balanced.
With the issue of universal maternity leave in Australia at risk of the May 12 budget chopping block, or the recession loophole, it was great to see journalist Peter van Onselen reminding the public, of their public, their humanitarian responsibility to support the paid maternity leave scheme, and to pressure keep the government to keep their promise.
Kevin Rudd promised to “bite the bullet” and introduce paid maternity because the “time has come”.
Let’s hope the time does not come, and go - because if it doesn’t happen now with all the priming of information from the productivity commission report - then I have great reservations that it ever will. It is not even a generous scheme being asked for compared to those provided in Scandinavian countries. But a promise is a promise, and this move to support parents and their children in those early days says a lot about the values of country and its leaders. Its a humanitarian investment.
If the Government is serious about lifting the national productivity rate, it needs to institute paid parental leave and widen the scope of tax deductibility for child care to include nannies. Doing so will give women (and men) more options when it comes to how best care for our children.
So do we invest in creating a healthy and robust society, or do we remain in the dark ages for yet another generation? Get Up has a great parental leave fact sheet, and campaign pushing to ‘keep the bastards honest’ on this issue.
The last time I was ‘confirmed’ in a religious sense, it was not a happy occasion. I was 13, had just moved interstate with my family, was forced to attend an uninspiringly conservative church, and had to wear this preposterous white hand-me-down dress with white stockings as part of the ritual. I think I have always been agnostic at heart - it’s not the idea of ‘god’ or spirituality that I have issues with, but the constuct of organised religion - particularly if founded on patriarchal principles.
Now that I have been ‘confirmed’ again, but this time as a PhD candidate, it has been a starkly different experience. I feel uplifted and happy, because I have chosen and created a project that I have convinced the faculty is worthy to pursue. It is a project that may indeed question some of those patriarchal principles, that continue to foster inequity in WoLFi. It’s a project I believe in. But best of all, I don’t have to wear a silly white dress.
I have to say, as a busy mum, and a researcher looking at WoLFi, I thought I was kind of getting the picture of how difficult and exhausting the balancing act can be. But one of my favourite bloggers - Ariane, recent accounts of her week left me gasping. It made me realise that, unless you write it down, alot of the unpaid work mothers do, remains invisible. Here is a snap shot of Ariane’s week:
Mon: Take Charlie to pre-school, then Ben to school. Go to Aldi, return to car to find it won’t start. Wait for NRMA. Get car hot wired and go to mechanic, do not pass Go, DO NOT turn off the engine.Work and look after Elissa. Try to work out what to do about uni prac that I can’t make for the next two weeks. Discover this is not actually a drama, wonder why they can’t write this minor detail down.Pick Charlie up from pre-school. Pick Ben & friend up from school and take them to gymnastics. Half of homework at gymnastics. Dinner, baths and bedtime. Uni work.
Tue: Other half of homework. Take Elissa to daycare, Charlie to pre-school and then Ben to school. Clock it, this is a 14km round trip! Computers. Work and hopefully find the lounge room under all the rubble. NopePick Charlie up from pre-school. Pick Ben up from school. Pick Elissa up from daycare. Might aim for homework. Dinner, baths and bedtime. Uni work. Make brownies for cake day.
Wed: Take Ben to school (with brownies). Work and look after little ones. Clean lots of the house so as to retain some kind of sanity. Specialist appointment with little ones in tow. Cook dinner slightly in advance for family and friend who is babysitting. P&C meeting. Some serious chin wagging with valiant babysitting friend. (No, didn’t forget Ben - he’s off to friend’s house and walks home from there.) All this interspersed with multiple phone calls from Singapore, including during P&C meeting. Not so much chin wagging, mostly work.
Phew! I don’t think I could survive such a schedule. But most women do, because they have to. There is no other choice. Thanks to Ariane for this insight. I know it might seem like a ‘typical’ day for many mothers combining paid work and family responsibilities but I think it deserves wider recognition and support. I would love to hear some more accounts of what your week is like… or even just a few days. Your chance to share with the world your reality, and gain some recognition for the work you do.
Never again will I underestimate the intensity of attachment and respect young children can feel for their pets. I have always known Possum has a special bond with our pet cats, especially one who she treats as a kindred spirit. When it came to the goldfish I wasn’t as sure. Firstly, our dear Orangey died from dropsy, a common but deadly goldfish disease. Possum, then chose Fanta as a replacement. Unfortunately Fanta only lasted a little over a week. Meanwhile our other goldfish, Stripey, has survived both the orange ones. Anyway, with two dead goldfish now in little boxes in our Freezer, Mr G and I did contemplate bringing them back to nature via the compost. But that afternoon, after school, Possum drew a little Eulogy picture for Fanta, showing the fish in her tank with a big smile and 3 lines to the people who loved Fanta - mum, dad and herself. She also wrote, with some help, ’my favourite fish has died’ and by herself, ‘So Famta did die’. Possum then made a little wreath from her craft box and we performed a little burial ceremony for Fanta and Orangey, in the front garden, wishing them well on their journey to fish heaven. Never again, will I underestimate…or be in a hurry to put out the compost.
According to this Sunday Mail article, a stay at home mother of 2 young children incurs higher stress than her full time working partner. This finding is based on measures of the parents’ heart rates during the day, that peak and dip according to stress levels. A note of caution here: I would think the parents’ cardio fitness, as I note dad gets to do his morning walk, may also be an important variable to consider in this comparison. Nevertheless, it got me wondering about heart rates for those who are in paid ‘part-time’ work and who still carry a substantial amount of family responsibilities. Now that would be interesting! Or single parents, a growing group in society. The fact is that the ‘modified dual income model’ for families, where mum is employed part-time, and dad employed full-time, the most common model for Australian parents today. So why not study them?
The cynic in me wonders, what are the point of such ‘news’ stories? Is it to motivate people into creating change, or recognition for the toils of unpaid work? Does it reinforce some nostalgic model of the family where mothers are martyred as the sacrifice-makers? (Too bad about her heart rate, but wow she’s so devoted to her family). Why are the media still focussing on the mum as homemaker, dad as breadwinner model, when it is in decline? I know tabloid journalism can be a light on substance and heavy on fluff , but like TV shows, such as Neighbours, they do somewhat reflect the values of the society as a whole… a that scares me a little.
about aztec-rose
I am a mother who is passionate about Work Life Family interconnectivity (WoLFi). I am fortunate enough to turn my passion into my PhD topic which is investigating how parents manage, balance, or juggle their paid/unpaid work, and other aspects of their life. So I'm interested in the diversity of your stories whether you are a parent who is sole, dual income, stay at home or in paid employment. All your WoLFi TaLEs or comments are valuable and will contribute to this important research.
