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Home and Familymakers Face Huge Challenges and Struggles – Part 2
While I lovingly cared for my daughter, escorting her to
parks, birthday bashes, and shopping malls, I found myself confronted with a
rather irksome query: "Are you working?" My response, "Yes,
indeed, I'm engaged in substantial work. I'm taking care of my daughter. I am a
homemaker," was met with the condescending attitudes of those around me,
implying that my endeavors held no value.
It was then that I encountered countless mothers who shared similar tales of
disrespect. But why was it that when I, as a mother, tended to my daughter, it
wasn't considered work, yet if I had a maid or nanny do the same, it magically
transformed into "work"? Do homemakers not deserve respect? I
embarked on a quest for answers.
In 2014, while working for a multinational risk management
firm, fate intervened when I suffered a slipped disc, requiring hospitalization
and spinal surgery. This life-altering event prompted me to reconsider my
career path, leading me to the realm of teaching in schools.
During a pivotal interview with a renowned school principal, the question posed
was, "How do you instill self-confidence in children?" My response
was unconventional: "It doesn't begin at school; it starts at home, where
I myself struggled with it so much." It dawned on me that discussions
surrounding "home" were conspicuously absent, as if the term
"homemaker" were a global taboo. But why?
Who, indeed, is a homemaker? Anyone who creates a home,
anyone who fosters a family, is a homemaker. Raise your hand if you plan to
return to your home at the end of the day. Every hand, without exception, goes
up. We are all homemakers, as long as we are integral parts of a family.
Homemaking transcends gender boundaries; it encompasses the various roles we
play within a household—mother, father, brother, sister, daughter-in-law,
son-in-law, mother-in-law, father-in-law, and so forth. This is the essence of
family dynamics. Often, one person assumes more significant responsibilities in
running the household, becoming the primary homemaker.
Recognizing the pervasive misconceptions about the
importance of the home and homemakers, I resolved in 2015 to define the concept
of a "home." I firmly believed that just as businesses and jobs are
essential for sustaining our lives, a home is equally critical for our
existence. Drawing on my background as a Home Science graduate and my
experience in risk management, I realized that my forte lay in thorough
research.
Having immersed myself in corporate jargon such as leadership, emotional
intelligence, skill development, teamwork, and soft skills during my corporate
tenure, I surmised that these concepts must also apply to the home environment.
Thus, I embarked on a journey to redefine these concepts within the context of
a home. My articles, such as "Management Jargon Applied to Homelife,"
"Transformational Leadership at Home," "Deciphering the Soft in
Soft Skills," and "Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Parenting,"
served as the foundation for my endeavors.
Subsequently, based on my written works, I received an
invitation to address a class of esteemed students at a prestigious institute.
Standing before these exceptional young minds, I experienced an unforeseen
catastrophe—my words deserted me, leaving me utterly speechless.
My first foray into public speaking was a resounding failure, and the
subsequent embarrassment haunted me for a week. However, rather than succumbing
to despair, I mustered the courage to confront my shortcomings. I made a
commitment to hone my public speaking skills and enrolled in an organization,
immersing myself in weekly classes to improve my proficiency in this domain. (This
is the second part of the TedTalk series)
Mona Mehra is Founder, Vision Search, Head, Home and Social Affairs,
Khushigram & also Editor at Radiance Media covering the domain.