Why do you work? The most simple answer is to earn money.
Of course it's necessary.
And I know, for women being independent economically is the first step to be an independent woman.
I'm really surprised to hear that in a country recently it is allowed for women to open an account at a bank.
Though it's difficult to explain about the situation in Japan. We don't used to hiring a baby sitter. In my country being a house wife doesn't mean that the woman is uneducated.The reason mothers stay home is not only to nurse kids but also to educate kids.
Of course some mothers have to continue to work to earn money, and some mothers continue to work if their circumstances make it possible and they want to choose to keep working. Why? They may answer like this; to keep independence, to keep what they are. They tend to think about themselves.
But the other day I hear another answer. She said "I want to make a better future you will live". She seems to be very proud of her job.
If you can meet such a job, you would be very happy.
Well, well, now I work a little? Why? not to earn money, though I want my pocket money.
Why? I want myself to feel being a member of society.
For me, it's difficult to work others.
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7 comments:
I have a question, Mieko. If a woman returns to work after having a child, and Japanese do not use "babysitters"...who takes care of the child (or children). If the child is put into a childcare facility...that IS babysitting by any definition even though it may not be in their home. Are you saying that most Japanese women do not return to work until their children are going to school? Jan
Jan, thanks for your comments. You use the word "return". Though it's right but wrong. It's difficult to return to a regular job. Some mothers start to work while their kids go to nursery school. But if they work as a regular employee, it's difficult to continute their work without their relatives help. So many mothers work as a part timer.
Additionaly here in Japan to work as a regular enployee means including doing overwork like Yuki.
Let us take your married daughter, M, as an example. She is in the work force now. Are you saying that if she has a baby she will probably not be able to return to a regular job or career? That is different than in the US where women regularly return to their careers on a full-time basis, but unless they are in
upper management they usually have specific work hours and not expected to work a lot of overtime. Of course, it depends upon the type of work and her role in the company. Here, things such as hours of work, flexible hours, vacations, and personal time off are usually negotiated with the company and US companies are not as strict nor demanding as those in Japan seem to be.
In M's case, if hse has a baby, anyway she'll quite the current job. After that I don't know what she will do. But anyway to start working as a regualr CAD staff might be difficult. Do you remember a lady who is a neigborth's daughter, and graduated from an universtiy in the USA. She used to work at a tradying comapny in TOKYO. But she is now in her 30's and has two sons who are under 5 years old. She is a housewife now, she can't return to the trading comapny. If she lived here with her mother, she could have continued her job. (She seems to think to start her English school like me.)
Additionally, in M's case, she has a CAD skill, so probably she will be able to work as a temprary staff somewhere, if she starts the work within one year after her childbirth.
I am from the "old school," perhaps reflecting my age, but I do believe that if a woman decides to have children, then they should stay at home to raise them; otherwise, why have them if you are allowing others the joy and responsibility of daily care. Tiny children changed every day and if you are gone for 8 hours or more, you literally miss all of those tiny victories...turning over, crawling, first steps, etc. It used to be expected for women to be at home for their children in the US, until WWII when so many had to work, and then it never ceased. Of course, now more women are highly educated and couples want more luxuries in their lives but the children pay the price...in my opinion. There's always exceptions, of course, based on real need. And, I do not think it would be much fun to stay home with a baby in a very tiny apartment.
The large Japanese companies seem to provide so much to their employees...do they not provide childcare, as well? Jan
You are "the Jan". It's sometimes difficult to say our opinion dignifiedly. Anyway I chose to stay home, because I am also from the old school. And Japanese traditional companies used to provide so much to their employees and childcare. Now I'm afraid to agree that it's chaning.
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