The Explorer Islamabad: Journal of Social Sciences ISSN: 2411-0132(E), 2411-5487(P) Vol-1, Issue (10):372-376 www.theexplorerpak.org
WORKING WOMEN AND ITS EFFECTS ON THE HEALTH AND EDUCATION OF THIER CHILDERN Muhammad Umair Farooq1, Tayyaba Sana2 Lecturer, GOV Post-Graduate College, Bhakkar, 2Department of Anthropology, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi Corresponding Author: Tayyaba Sana PMAS- Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi sana.malikx01@gmail.com Abstract: Men and women are two wheels of the vehicle of life. Both have been bestowed with different capabilities to play their respective roles in the struggle of life. In the primitive age, a women’s job was to gathering food, take care of the house and produce children. However, an increasingly common situation for the modern women has rose, where the woman not only works at home but is also operational in areas outside the circle of her family and home. The data was collected through stratified random sampling, while the population for sample included all government degree and post graduate colleges for women in Lahore. The findings suggest that working women and as well as their children are badly affected by the jobs of their mothers. This struggle creates many physical and psychological problems in working women’s children due to ignorance and the mothers themselves.
Key Words: Working women’s. Children’s, Health, Education INTRODUCTION With growing economic pressure, women are left with little choice but to work side by side with men at work places, besides performing solo at homes. This double duty means doubly taxed nerves due to double stress and attention to keep both the enterprises running smoothly. When women go to work, they actually have to face the problem of combining work at home and office and to adjust their routine to this double duty. “Working mothers, as a label refers to women who are mothers and who work outside the home for income in addition to the work they perform at home in raising their children” (Encyclopedia of Children Health 2000). Many years back, women would be absorbed in house hold affairs and often said that they had no time to do a paid job outside the house. Today there are many women who find that they can manage their house hold (Briar 2004). Absence of reasonable day cares, dearth of maids, receding joint family system, the problems are myriad. It is a difficult task for working mothers to make arrangement for their children, when they have no mothers, mother in-laws and sisters or any other members of the extended family. In the Pakistani context that working mothers in Pakistan have great difficulties in managing job and their house hold. They
have to look after their children, perform house work in the morning and leave for job. When they come back, they have to cook food for dinner (Weiss 2002). no doubt in-laws of working women help them in performing their dual responsibilities, but they also harassed them and said that earning of young children is a difficult work for them (Sather and Kazi 1988). Similarly, working mothers are dissatisfied with their child care arrangements in the family and also perceive stress from in-laws (Tizard and Hodges 1978). It also affected their performance at workplace significantly. Every working mother s’ situation will be unique, as will her views on what she wants and what she think best for her children and family. However, there are certain fundamental issues, problem and dilemmas that are common to all working mothers and their families. The working mothers neither can leave her job nor can bring up her children without support from others (Kumar 2002). With regard to health of working mother’s children it is found that when women work, they usually have to spend less time directly caring for their children, including breast feeding, preparation of nutritious food and getting medical care. These time constraints have small but significant negative effects on their children of five years age (O’Cannor 1998).
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Kumar (2002) too, support O’Cannor’s findings in saying that the working mothers today know the advantage of breast feeding but the stress of new life style forces them to redefine their roles and change their motherly behavior. shows that working mothers are often expected to assume most of the responsibility in family emergencies. Such as the illness of a child or bad school report of child which periodically disrupt their already over loaded schedules. It may not always be the case as Ahmed (2002) found that children of women who work have better diets than those whose mothers stay at home. He suggests that women who work take more care of what their children eat, possibly because they feel guilty about not being at home with their children. Further, it is found that children of working mothers in nuclear family structure have less psychological problems and better intellectual capacity (Ahmed 2002). MATERIALS AND METHODS The data was collected from the selected sample of 149 respondents. All government degree & post graduate colleges for women in Lahore were selected for our study as a population. Lists of teaching staff with designation, marital status and number of children were obtained. Single teachers or those not having children were eliminated and thus a sampling frame was constructed. The population was heterogeneous (lecturers, assistant professors, associate professor) the sample was chosen according to stratified random sampling (proportionate) and divided the target population into strata according to the cadres of working mothers in the population. Then sampling fraction was used to choose the sub samples from the population and then these sub samples were emerged into a single sample. RESULTS The study was conducted on working mothers who were teaching in the Government Girls Degree Colleges of Lahore city, regarding their health and education of their children up to 18 years of age. The profile of the respondents was found as under. Average age of the respondents was 45 years. Out of 149 respondents, almost one - third of the total (33%) were in the age group of 45 – 50 years, 19 % were in the age group of 35 – 40 while, 15% each belonged to the age group of 40 – 45 and 50 – 55 respectively. And a little minority only (11 %) was of 30 – 35 age groups. A large majority (95 %) were married and living with their husbands. A very small ratio (3 %) were the
respondents who were widowed while the remaining (1 % each) were divorced and separated respectively. Almost half, of the total respondents (48%) were lecturers, 40 % were assistant professors and a very small ratio (11 %) was associate professors. Qualification wise distribution of the respondents shows that a good majority (70%) had the qualification of M.A. & M.Sc. followed by 17% who were having the qualification of M.A. B.Ed, and a very small minority (12%) had done M.Phil. While average present job experience of the respondents was calculated as 17 years. Regarding daily working hours of the respondents in college, average daily working hours were calculated as 5 hours. A good majority (46%) spent 5 – 6 hours daily in college while working. One third (32%) were spending 4 – 5 hours and 15% spent 3 – 4 hours while only 6% were spending 6 – 7 hours working in college. While counting the daily working hours of the respondents at home, average daily working hours, at home, were calculated as 9 hours. Almost one fifth (21%) spent 14 – 16 hours while another similar ratio (20%) had 6 – 8 working hours. A good ratio of 17% spent 4 – 6 hours working at home and 13% told that they had worked 2 – 4 hours at home while another 13% spent 8 – 10 hours. A small ratio (9%) had 12 – 14 working hours and (7%) 9 – 12 hours. With regard to the occupation of the respondent’s spouse, a large majority (62%) were government servants, 16% were running their own business. A small ratio (11%) was doing private jobs and some (5%) had been retired from their service. While average daily working hours of the respondents’ husbands were calculated as 9 hours. The average age of children of the respondents was calculated as 10 years. Out of 380 children of respondents, slightly less than half ( 39% ) were in the age group of 12 - 18 years, almost one third , 28% were in the age group of 6-12, and 16% were in the age group of 18 – 24, and 14 % belonged to the age group up to 6 years. Average Family size wise of the respondents was calculated as seven members. A significant ratio of the respondents ( 65 % ) had the family size of 3 - 6 while 14 % had the 6 - 9 members and 13 % had up to 3 members of family, a small ratio of the respondents ( 6 % ) belonged to the group of 9 - 12 members, only 2% belonged to 12 - 15 members family. Regarding any help assistance available to the respondents for their domestic chores. An over whelming majority (82%) had maid servant’s
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assistance at their homes. A small ratio ( 7 % ) had the assistance of mother in law, and 2% each had elder daughters’ and sisters’ in law’s assistance. While 4 % had no assistance available for their domestic chores. Majority of the respondents (70%) took leave from college and looked after their children in case of child’s sickness. However, just a little less than one forth (17%) left their children at home with a family member, and children of 7% respondents were looked after by the servants, whereas 6% made other arrangements. All the respondents (100%) had completely immunized their children. In case of more than half of the respondents (57%) both parents were responsible for immunization of their children. One third of the respondents (34%) were themselves responsible for the immunization of their children and 6% were the cases where children’s fathers were responsible. Most of the respondents ‘children (97%) have no congenital disease, however, 3% of the respondents have physically handicapped children Among those having children with physical disability, only half (50%) have arrangements of monthly check up of their children. Further, half of the respondents did not have ample time to look after their physically disabled children. Other half lack assistance/help in this regard. Regarding disadvantages of respondent’s children being working mother’s children, more than half (53%) did not see any disadvantage, however more than one third (36%) thought that their children had become deprived of love and affection from mother. When asked about their expectations from family as a working mother, around one third (30%) had none. Almost one forth (21%) expected husband’s cooperation regarding health & education of their children, a small ratio (13%) expected husband’s emotional encouragement. Similarly, in terms of their expectations from govt. around one third respondents (34%) had no expectation from government, a little less than one fifth expected that govt. should establish day care centers to facilitate them, around one sixth (14%) expected increased salary, remaining (10%) expected that teachers should be appointed closer to home. DISSCUSSION Majority of the respondents were not officially allowed to bring their small children with them in college. They used different ways to look after their kids during college timing; like majority arranged domestic servants and a small ratio left their children at day care. when women go to work they actually
have to perform dual role to adjust their routine. According to them they are not fully satisfied with their servants or maid. This thing also made their children’s stubborn. Amongst those who availed day care facility for their small children, majority were satisfied over the standard of day care services. In case of children's sickness, majority of the respondents took leave from college and looked after their children. Working mothers in Pakistan have great difficulties managing the job and their household. Their babies are small and stay awake the whole night. All the respondents had immunized their children completely and hardly 3% congenital diseases were reported. Majority of the respondents used to give lunch to their school going children and children at home, themselves. Those who did not have time to give lunch to their children themselves were satisfied over their routine. Kate childcare is a pre-requisite for women’s continued participation in the world outside the home (Llewelyn and Osborne 1990). Almost all of the respondents' children play indoor games and more than half of the respondents participated with them in their games. Others remained busy in household and college work many women are burdened with multiple role as a worker, family care and the person responsible for household duties. Majority of the respondents were concerned about their small children's hygiene arrangements that were under their supervision (ILO 2002). They used to bath their kids, changed their dress, and took care of nails and hair cut on regular basis. All of the respondents confirmed that their children were attached to someone and majority of the children were attached to their mothers. Those whose children were not attached to them felt satisfied that their children were attached to someone. Majority of the respondents had enough time, energy and resources to look after their children. Those who did not have time, energy and resources used to get tired due to household chores. Almost all of the respondents described their children as physically healthy, intelligent and sharp. Majority of the respondents were involved in their children's educational arrangements, such as; children's admission, selection of their institution, selection of their subject, attended parent - teacher meetings and their annual result day. Majority of the respondents felt proud of their children's excellent position in the class. Almost all of the respondents knew about their children's friends. Almost all of the respondents thought that their children felt proud of their mothers as being teacher
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in college. Majority of the respondents were able to manage their dual role because of their husbands' & servants' co-operation, those who were not able to manage the dual role, their children's education was affected due to their busy routine. However despite this entire struggle, working women are the first ones to admit that their work results in the neglect of the children and accept that husbands often perceive the same (Krupalini and Bhat 2003). Most of the respondents felt proud of their role in their life not only as being a mother but also as a professional because they had become financially strong and their children were getting better education. Majority of the respondents' children were more confident and had no disadvantages due to their mothers' status as working mother. Most of the respondents had no expectations from their family except their husbands' co-operation. However, they expected from government that the facility of day care centers should be provided and they should be appointed closer to their home. Conclusion: The study conclude that, working women’s and as well as their children’s are badly affected by the jobs of their mothers. This thing also creates many health and psychological problems in working women’s children’s due to ignorance. Over working also affects the health of the mothers. Majority of the respondents wanted day care facility for their small children during their college timings, so government should specify some area in the college premises for this purpose. The college staff may hire a female caretaker for their children with the cooperation of the college administration on self help bases. The print and electronic media should represent such programs (like features, articles, soap serials, movies and talk shows), which enhance sense of responsibility and co-operation among working mother’s husbands, especially in child rearing.The provincial ministry of Women Development should organize seminars, workshops and conference which highlight the struggle of working mothers, so that they get recognition, feel encouraged and become inspiration for other women to contribute more actively in the national economy. For the purpose a special award/shield may also be awarded to successful working mothers on International Women’s Day/Mothers Day to recognize their dual contribution. REFERENCES Ahmad, Riaz 2002 Psychological Effects Upon the Children of Working Mothers in Different
Family Structures of Pakistan(University of Karachi PhD Thesis). Briar, Celia 2004 Working for women: Gendered &Welfare Policies in 20th Century in Britain. Routledge. Encyclopedia of Children Health 2000 Working Mothers http://www.healthofchildren.com
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Krupalini, H. S., and Vighnesh N. Bhat 2003 Women in Developing Countries (Aspirations &Perceptions). APH Publishing Corporation, New Delhi. Kumar, Raj 2002 Women Problems: Encyclopedia of Women &Development Series. New Delhi: Anmol Publication PVT.LTD. ILO 2002 The of Trade Union in Promoting Gender Equality &Protecting Vulnerable Women Workers. Retrieved December 13,2006 from http://www.ilo.org.html Llewelyn, Susan P., and Kate Osborne 1990 Women's lives. Routledge. O’ Cannor, Albright 1998 Juggling Career &Home. Retrieved December 13 2006, from http:// www.keep media.com/online library/Working Mothers – abstract. Hotmail Sathar, Zeba A., and Shahnaz Kazi 1988 Productive and Reproductive Choices of Metropolitan Women. Report of a survey in Karachi. Tizard, Barbara, and Jill Hodges 1978 The Effect of Early Institutional Rearing on the Development of Eight Year old Children. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 19 (2): 99118 Weiss, Anita M. 2002 Walls within Walls. Life
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Histories of Working Women in the Old city of Lahore Karachi: Oxford University Press. © 2015“The Explorer Islamabad” Journal of Social Sciences-Pakistan
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