Priorities

I always find it interesting to hear and read about women commenting on the demands of having a successful career and balancing the demands of children at the same time

1. In the last state election, Carmel Tebbutt resigned from cabinet because she wanted to spend more time with her children. She felt she was missing the best years of their lives. The Daily Telegraph saw the decision as proof that women cannot have it all. Others accused her of being a bad feminist. Interesting spectrum of accusations.
2. Deputy Opposition Leader, Julia Gillard, hasn’t had children at all. By her own admission, she says it is almost impossible to be a mother and a top ranking Australian politician at the same time. She defended her decision not to have children by suggesting that PM John Howard and Treasurer Peter Costello could never have made it to the top of the political pile had they tried to care for children as well. Her situation has just been re-hashed by rogue Liberal senator Bill Heffernan who labeled her a “deliberately baron” and therefore unfit to lead.
3. Newsreader and journalist, Juanita Phillips (below with family) wrote of her experiences in The Bulletin. She suggests that the nation is in a crisis in regards to childcare. She is lucky though, as her husband gave up his career and took up part time work instead.

Isn’t it all about priorities? If your only focus is on your career then perhaps having children isn’t such a good idea. Therefore Julia Gillard has made a wise decision. Her decision doesn’t make her unfit to lead, perhaps unable to relate to Aussie families though.

If you want to have children then something has to be sacrificed as surely children take over as number one priority. Traditionally it has been the women to become the primary caregiver. Much like my mum did when she had Danny and me.

The fact is that only women can give birth to children and therefore must take time off work to do this and then to recover from it. Most workplaces these days have arrangements for maternity leave so this is not so much an issue. Some even have arrangements for paternity leave. There are also some duties that must be performed by the women (eg breastfeeding).

We all have to work to make ends meet. Perhaps it’s a luxury these days to have one parent become the primary caregiver. If two incomes are needed then where are the children fitting into priorities?

I’m not saying that it has to be the woman that makes all the sacrifices. If I’m saying anything it is that both parents need to make sacrifices. Children will miss their dad just as much as their mum if he has the successful career that is highly demanding of his time. Time that seems to be allocated disproportionately to where it should be.