Frequently, after picking up the older kids from childcare, I meet with other part-time-working or stay-at-home moms. I would love to meet more dads, but unfortunately, aside from short parental leaves, all dads I know work full time.
So, quite often, it's either me and my youngest, or kids and moms in our living room.
Across from our balcony, which leads out from our living room, there is a large building being constructed. We have been observing this construction site for a year now, and have seen a six-story building rise from a large pit.
I often try to explain to the kids this discrepancy: the construction workers who are male ("but in theory, women could do the work as well"), and us females indoors ("dad used to be here during his parental leave, while I worked full time"). The male construction workers working outdoors, us women taking care of the kids indoors (at least during the winter months), while cooking, tidying up, or hanging up laundry.
I have several explanations for why things have developed the way they have. Partly personal (choice, situational, interests), partly cultural (societal expectations), and partly career-related (a combination of the prior, as well as economic and financial). I will explore some of these aspects in my next posts, before hopefully moving on to something other.
Off to hang up another load of laundry...while watching the construction workers outdoors.
ps. Osborne's budget case reminded me of a McD Happy Meal box.
pps. Keenly following the World Bank's Presidential "race" - Nooyi and Sachs as interesting albeit very unlikely contesters.
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