Apr 25, 2025
Apr 25, 2025
Working women still do housework – Isn’t that stating the obvious…? Whenever I think of my three decades+ career as a senior banking professional, a single parent and a home maker, I remember all those 5 am wake-up alarms, hurried cooking, packing lunch boxes for my son, rushing out to catch the 8.10 am Janakpuri-Connaught Place chartered bus to reach my work place by 9 am at Connaught Circus, New Delhi after ensuring that my son was ready for school and striding straight into the kitchen after returning from the bank at 9-9.30 pm.
07-Mar-2013
More by : Padmaja Iyengar-Paddy
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But should society be questioning why working women are still expected to bear the brunt of household responsibilities, even when they have demanding careers outside the home? Isn't it time for a more equitable distribution of domestic duties?"", "refusal |
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I want to work |
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Nice article, very clear picture of working women who also does household works. At Least now all men should be able to understand household work is also part of their work, they should not say that they are helping their wife's. |
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Women work or don't work at office, its up to them. But women should take care of household work, Its not something gender biased but its rule of nature. Women are well suited to take care of household and their children. Because children needs proper care, which can only be given y mother, that's the only reason in most of divorce cases women will be given child custody.If women deny this fact the this will be ignorance. No matter how educated or how modern we are, some things cant be changed, if you try to change nature rule then you will obviously see the negative impact of it on your child and house too. Doing a job to earn is not really mandatory for women, because house care and child care is the greatest and most sacred job given to mother by mother nature. But pity on today's so called modern independent and empowered women, they think its a burden for them. But still there are some great women among us, who know that its their responsibility towards family, They don't care how modern they are, or how much they are earning, they know that its their wish, wither to earn money or not, But taking care of house and children is their priority. Bow in respect to those women, Because if those sacred women, still world got good citizens, But worried about future, feminist are ruining this nature, and heading this world towards most stupid and manner-less civilization. Just like it shown in movie Idiocrecy... |
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I totally agree to ur article. I go through the same situation everyday. Whether i am tired or not, whether I m normal or pregnant. I have to be the one who has to take the responsibility of the house , the guests, if the maids are absent, I have to be the one doing all the jobs, and even if I ask help from my hubby, its up to his wish to help me as if its only my responsibility to do everything |
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Respected Dr. Raghavan, My piece was intended as a tribute to the multi-tasking Indian working women on International Women's Day. If it has disturbed you in any way, then I'm sorry..We are also five sisters and each one is an accomplished achiever in her chosen field..AND we have all managed our respective households along with our jobs...If the article sounds like a rant or grumble to you, then be that as it may.... |
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Honestly I fail to see the point made my Ms. Padmaja. The tone of the article is rather disturbing. Is there anything derogatory about a working woman attending to household chores? I have five sisters and four of them are still working or did work till recently. They are all successful in their profession and also as homemakers. I don't recall any instance of them looking down upon the household assignments. I also wish to add they did get cooperation from their spouses. My daughter is settled in the United States. Like thousands of others she is a working woman. Unlike in India, there is little option in America as you don't get servant maids. Husband and wife together have to do one hundred per cent of all the household jobs. Nobody grumbles there. There is no need for any one to grumble in India either. After all you are serving yourself and nobody else. .. RAGHAVAN |
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Hi Dr. Ra alakshmii. Thanks for your insightful feedback. |
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Hi! Padmaja! It is true for every working woman in India, whether South or North or east or west! Same situation in every culture! I have seen in the deserts of Rajasthan how the poor women have to all the household and also the field work while the men sit in the Bhaitak and smoke opium , not even lifting their little finger! Thanks for the nice write up! Whither is the Women's liberation! |
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Hi Padmavathi. Thanks for your detailed comments. I completely agree with them - that the woman of today in her multi tasking role gives far too mauch than what she gets....It's a tough, uphill path of liberation...Liberation is not physical here but the feeling of being liberated...What you say echoes the feelings of many women but we all have our own unique reflexes to overcome the obstacles to liberate ourselves from the so-called norms of the society and establish our identity... |
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India is a country where women play dual roles in many situations. In my view, she is kind, loving, caring, dedicated, patient and submissive in order to avoid problems everywhere. In fact, she may not express each and every quality outside, but most of the women have these qualities. In the past, her duties were confined to the four walls of a kitchen and she wasn't allowed to go for higher education. What's the reality? It's quite clear that she was treated as a woman who was born to fulfil the needs of family members patiently as a mother, daughter, sister, sister-in-law, mother-in-law etc...As we all know,,,,, she was asked to obey the promise,,,,dharmecha, kamecha, ardhecha, mokshecha shayanesa, and so on... Now, the situation of women is more horrible. As you mentioned, she will have to play the dual role at workplace and residence. How many people know that sharing is caring? In fact, there are men who cooperate with women in their responsibilities in kitchen especially which will ease the women mentally and physically. The working women's problems are infinite as they have to manage in both the places. People say that, life is more comfortable than earlier as we use many machines at home, but we need to use time for utilizing those wonderful machines. Time and tide waits for none. She moves according to the time and completes her duties. When we talk about people, qualities and attitude differ from one person to another. Likewise, there are men who understand women and there are many who don't understand them. In general, culture of our nation is rapidly changing and the people are becoming addicted to different life styles. In our country, men are addicted to some habits like smoking, drinking etc and harass women, especially in labourer groups, where women work in the fields and home. I feel that they should be guided and educated well by educated people, if possible. In executives families, they become social habits, ultimately the same. As the time passes, we have to accept that the woman has to become a job holder in many families, when we think about the financial issues right now. Caste system is also one of the causes which made a woman isolated from outside the world. On the contrary, the women fight for equality in all the fields now which is a good sign, but still they have to go long way to achieve it. It doesn’t mean that it is an unfulfilled dream. The glorified culture treated the woman as a sexual object, not as a human being. In. developing countries, we normally find gender differences in wages. They are not paid according to the work they do or the time they spend, they are paid on gender difference.. We can’t expect everything to be handed to us on a plate. One thing is true! If a woman is given an opportunity, she will prove her capability. |