What roles do women occupy? A significant number of women are mothers, which is undoubtedly one of the most critical roles in society. However, women also excel in various other capacities. Indeed, women can undertake almost any profession.
Consider if a description of President’s Day began similarly: What did George Washington do? He was a father! While fatherhood is indeed a vital role for men, they also engage in monumental tasks like leading a revolution and shaping a nation. Men, too, can accomplish almost anything!
It’s unlikely you would ever see such a framing. We typically do not mention fatherhood when discussing the achievements of notable men. Similarly, we rarely evaluate a man’s potential with the term ‘almost.’ Yet, consistently, when discussing remarkable women, motherhood often takes center stage. This framing can even extend to educational settings, affecting how young minds perceive gender roles.
Interestingly, the vast majority of women my child learned about recently—such as Marie Curie, Jane Austen, and Frida Kahlo—did not have children. In fact, only one woman in his studies, Sacagawea, was noted for her contributions while raising a child. While I may complain about managing my children’s schedules, she was traversing uncharted territory with an infant in tow. How’s that for perspective?
Perhaps the curriculum emphasized motherhood as the “most important job in the world” because it felt necessary to validate the experiences of mothers, be they working or non-working. Non-working mothers might feel belittled by the notion that their contributions are less significant, while working mothers may feel the weight of the implication that motherhood supersedes their professional endeavors. Such debates, while prevalent on social media, can be detrimental when they infiltrate educational narratives.
Our children—both sons and daughters—should not be led to believe that motherhood defines a woman’s worth. By labeling motherhood as a job, we inadvertently assign it a measure of performance that it does not warrant. I receive no paycheck for it, cannot be dismissed from this role, and cannot simply walk away to pursue other interests. While motherhood demands effort comparable to a job, it transcends the conventional job description. It deserves recognition as a unique and invaluable experience.
My child often expresses dreams of becoming a father. While his aspirations might include whimsical notions like allowing his future children to wear shorts in winter, he envisions a distinct future as a parent, separate from other ambitions, such as being a professional athlete. No one conflates these roles, and perhaps it’s time for adults—educators, friends, and parents alike—to take a cue from this clarity.
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In summary, motherhood is a vital and transformative experience, deserving of its own recognition, separate from the concept of a traditional job. It is imperative to cultivate a narrative that empowers our children to see beyond conventional definitions and understand the multifaceted nature of women’s contributions in society.