‘Young women prefer looking after children’

Press, 5 March 1988, Page 33

‘Young women prefer looking after children’

PA ' Wellington Young women have told the Royal Commission on Social Policy they want to stay home and raise their children, instead of being pressured to return to work.

I Of 24 submissions on work and employment made by people in their 20s. 21 were from women. Nine of the submissions called for more support for women’s traditional mothering and home-mak-ing roles, a further three said there should be courses- to teach people

tow to be (better parents, and one ■ said the Governnent should provide financial help for mothers who became ill. The most common complaint from women in their 20s on the subject of work and employment is that society does not put enough value on the work women do in rearing children. They suggested a wage for mothers at home, or a significant rise in the family benefit, to emphasise the importance of their work. •

• Several submissions said “housewife" had become a derogatory term, and others criticised the financial situation which often forced women back to work.

“Society looks upon any woman who believes in marriage, staying at home with the kids, and not mucking around) on her husband, getting drunk or stoned and watching dirty movies as someone with massive inhibitions who needs to come out of her shell,” one ; Gisborne mother of two wrote.