Re: Do people respect working moms more than stay home moms?
I will Insahallah will be home stay mom for the next 2 years, looking forward to it!
I think society finds it way to easy to judge one on occupational status rather than good deeds. I also think gossipy women don't help the situation in making women feel out of place.
I'm not a mummy (yet, maybe soon lets see what Allah has planned for us) and I work part time as a civil servant and part time on my own business. I do inshallah plan to return to uni to do a post grad degree too and because I've been married for three years now some women in society feel they have the right to make comments and judge me on the fact we're dinkies (double income no kids) rather than having at least one kid by now. What they don't ask me is what do I plan to do when inshallah I do become a parent, its rather a case of "oh no kids yet, you don't want any no?" or "hhaaayyy money isn't everything". It's easy to look down ones nose at others.
I admire any women and man who is able to bring up decent humans who have a respect for all, can love unconditionally and have aims and visions and have a deep love of their faith. I think being a parent is the hardest job on this planet, some women can work and juggle a family life and some who have the option prefer to be a stay at home parent, each to their own. There's no fast and slow rules of parenting whatever suits you as an individual is obviously best.
I have in my 26 years on earth met some stay-at-home mummies who had a great quality of life-dads were bringing in mashallah more than enough to look after their family. Yet one mummy in particular felt she was "wasting her life away" being a full time mummy so took a job as a catering person at a local primary school. At first it didn't bother anyone in her family but sadly she started to change. Firstly the money she was making didn't contribute towards anything-which is fine as her husband has a financial responsibilty. She started saving all the money and buying gold. Good for her. But then she wanted more gold so started doing more hours....it got to the stage where her husband stood his ground and said he wanted his wife to concentrate on home as he made enough to support a healthy lifestyle. She wasn't impressed with his opinion that she didn't need to work and she was neglecting her home but she couldn't really say much as she later admitted money began to corrupt her way of thinking-she was turning into a gossipy women and judging other stay at home mummies saying they could work and be great mummies kinda having tunnel vision.
Right enough of my rant, back to my original statement, Niksik, I think society needs more people like you to fly the flag for positive stay-at-home-mummies. Your job is the hardest, and inshallah your commitment will show other women that just because your at home doesn't mean they have a right to judge you or show you less respect because of your occupational status.
Peace.