Future in our hands
Received this via email. Got me thinking about those sad, ignorant people who are under the false impression of housewife or a mom being jobless. The irony here is that no job can be that of a busier one esp. when one is blessed being a mom of one or many. Next time we are asked to fill up such an occupational column, we should probably think of defining the word “mom” or homemaker in an appropriate manner. The write-up below, gives an excellent example of such an instance.
A woman, renewing her driver's license at the County Clerk's office was asked by the woman recorder to state her occupation. She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself. "What I mean is," explained the recorder, "do you have a job or are you just a......?" "Of course I have a job," snapped the woman.
"I'm a Mom."
"We don't list 'Mom' as an occupation, 'housewife' covers it," said the recorder emphatically. I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself in the same situation, this time at our own Town Hall. The Clerk was obviously a career woman, poised, efficient and possessed of a high sounding title like, "Official Interrogator" or "Town Registrar." "What is your occupation?" she probed.
What made me say it? I do not know. The words simply popped out. "I'm a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations."
The clerk paused, ball-point pen frozen in midair and looked up as though she had not heard right. I repeated the title slowly emphasizing the most significant words. Then I stared with wonder as my pronouncement was written, in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire."Might I ask," said the clerk with new interest, "just what you do in your field?
" Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice, I heard myself reply, "I have a continuing program of research, [what mother doesn't) in the laboratory and in the field, (normally I would have said indoors and out). I'm working for my Masters, (first the Lord and then the whole family) and already have four credits (all daughters). Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities, (any mother care to disagree?) and I often work 14 hours a day, (24 is more like it). But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money."
There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk's voice as she completed the form, stood up and personally ushered me to the door. As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants -- ages 13, 7, and 3. Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model, (a 6 month old baby) in the child development program, testing out a new vocal pattern. I felt I had scored a beat on bureaucracy! And I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable to mankind than "just another Mom." Motherhood! What a glorious career! Especially when there's a title on the door.
Wow.Very inspiring. The above story stresses upon the importance of a mother trying to shape up the future citizens of the country, by devoting her time, energy and effort. The productivity here can be determined by the kind of individuals her children grow up to be to make the nation proud. Puts an end to all those inferior thoughts about one not being a career woman.
Just wondering about the definition of the word”Job”.Yes, its something which occupies a person physically and mentally. Of course, rewards are mandatory. But do such rewards restrict only to monetary returns? Not necessarily.
As a specialist in human relations, I definitely feel terms like job satisfaction is an important factor in motivating and stimulating us fellow humans. Whether we work at home, from home or outside home, we definitely are not JOBLESS or less intelligent than any of those corporate individuals.
There are people, who in spite of working in top notch companies complain about having less work, which ultimately get’s them hooked on to the virtual world the whole day. So this certainly removes misconception of only moms or home makers or freelancers logging on to the internet.
Weren’t our moms home makers once a upon a time? What would we have done, if we had to come back to an empty cold house from school/college? When they work, we have complained about less time devoted to us. Otherwise we scorn at them for not being worldly wise or we claim to be ashamed of them. Guess today’s young, unmarried or married working women will realize this, the day motherhood strikes them. What if we are faced with a situation that leaves us so hard pressed for time, that we end up taking up only a part –time or off and on job? Does it make us less enterprising than others?
To summarize this, we needn’t feel inferior or superior no matter what we are doing. As long as our “occupation” brings us happiness and contentment, we are answerable to no one but ourselves.So all the married and unmarried men and women, old aged, middle aged, who look down upon such occupation less people in the future, DO THINK AGAIN! .
A woman, renewing her driver's license at the County Clerk's office was asked by the woman recorder to state her occupation. She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself. "What I mean is," explained the recorder, "do you have a job or are you just a......?" "Of course I have a job," snapped the woman.
"I'm a Mom."
"We don't list 'Mom' as an occupation, 'housewife' covers it," said the recorder emphatically. I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself in the same situation, this time at our own Town Hall. The Clerk was obviously a career woman, poised, efficient and possessed of a high sounding title like, "Official Interrogator" or "Town Registrar." "What is your occupation?" she probed.
What made me say it? I do not know. The words simply popped out. "I'm a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations."
The clerk paused, ball-point pen frozen in midair and looked up as though she had not heard right. I repeated the title slowly emphasizing the most significant words. Then I stared with wonder as my pronouncement was written, in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire."Might I ask," said the clerk with new interest, "just what you do in your field?
" Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice, I heard myself reply, "I have a continuing program of research, [what mother doesn't) in the laboratory and in the field, (normally I would have said indoors and out). I'm working for my Masters, (first the Lord and then the whole family) and already have four credits (all daughters). Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities, (any mother care to disagree?) and I often work 14 hours a day, (24 is more like it). But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money."
There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk's voice as she completed the form, stood up and personally ushered me to the door. As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants -- ages 13, 7, and 3. Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model, (a 6 month old baby) in the child development program, testing out a new vocal pattern. I felt I had scored a beat on bureaucracy! And I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable to mankind than "just another Mom." Motherhood! What a glorious career! Especially when there's a title on the door.
Wow.Very inspiring. The above story stresses upon the importance of a mother trying to shape up the future citizens of the country, by devoting her time, energy and effort. The productivity here can be determined by the kind of individuals her children grow up to be to make the nation proud. Puts an end to all those inferior thoughts about one not being a career woman.
Just wondering about the definition of the word”Job”.Yes, its something which occupies a person physically and mentally. Of course, rewards are mandatory. But do such rewards restrict only to monetary returns? Not necessarily.
As a specialist in human relations, I definitely feel terms like job satisfaction is an important factor in motivating and stimulating us fellow humans. Whether we work at home, from home or outside home, we definitely are not JOBLESS or less intelligent than any of those corporate individuals.
There are people, who in spite of working in top notch companies complain about having less work, which ultimately get’s them hooked on to the virtual world the whole day. So this certainly removes misconception of only moms or home makers or freelancers logging on to the internet.
Weren’t our moms home makers once a upon a time? What would we have done, if we had to come back to an empty cold house from school/college? When they work, we have complained about less time devoted to us. Otherwise we scorn at them for not being worldly wise or we claim to be ashamed of them. Guess today’s young, unmarried or married working women will realize this, the day motherhood strikes them. What if we are faced with a situation that leaves us so hard pressed for time, that we end up taking up only a part –time or off and on job? Does it make us less enterprising than others?
To summarize this, we needn’t feel inferior or superior no matter what we are doing. As long as our “occupation” brings us happiness and contentment, we are answerable to no one but ourselves.So all the married and unmarried men and women, old aged, middle aged, who look down upon such occupation less people in the future, DO THINK AGAIN! .
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