Working Women

[JUSTIFY][JUSTIFY] “Times are changing”, is the only thought that comes to my mind when I see my aunt coaxing her reluctant daughter-in-law to venture out and start working. I wonder whatever happened to the conventional older woman who wanted only a traditional, stay-at-home girl as a bride for her cosseted son.



My aunt’s family is well-to-do so her insistence of her daughter-in-law working has nothing to do financially. It’s just that she does not want her DIL to while away her time or be idle at home.


Which makes me think, have working women become a necessity in today’s expensive world or should the choice be left to the woman herself?


In my case, I have been working for the past 7 years or so and in those years, I had hardly taken long duration holidays with the exception of my wedding holidays. I have always been financially independent and the notion of asking for money from my husband or my mother almost feels alien to me.


Then when my daughter was born, I went on Maternity Leave for 3 months. It felt really strange to me, when I saw my husband leaving for work and I had to stay back at home. Initially (before my baby was born), I felt bored as I was not accustomed to staying back at home.



After my daughter was born, I did not have much time for myself and was very busy, so I did not miss the absence of my professional life. Then the 3 months were up, but since I was not ready to leave my baby and go back to work I took additional months of leave (which went as Loss of Pay).


We have a hefty loan to repay, so I did not have much choice in rejoining my work back. If I had one, I would have preferred staying back home for a year or two, till my daughter could be sent to a day care center and then resumed my work. Yes, I love working, I love the independence it gives me, I love the camaraderie I share with my other colleagues, I love the challenges I get to face in my work.



There are many women who love to work but cannot because of some obligation. Maybe they have a small child at home that they need to take care of, or maybe they have orthodox in laws who do not want their daughter-in-law to work.


Similarly there are many women who would love to be house wives but are compelled to work because of financial commitments. But in today’s world, where technology has spread its reach to homes, it’s not necessary for women to venture out and work. Women can stay at home and still earn few bucks (and sometimes substantial amounts too). Data Entry jobs, freelance work, product reviewers (where you get products for free and also get paid for reviewing it), online marketing jobs (selling on ebay and other online shopping sites) are few ideas to begin with and believe me there are plenty more.


Many women have shown that it is possible to balance a professional and personal life with élan. In the same way, it’s also possible to stay at home and earn and take care of family and hearth. Come on, we are women, the word impossible is yet to be etched in our pink, satin bound dictionary
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