NO, it is not yet Mother’s Day, but now is as good a time to write about mothers or “kaum ibu” and how their roles have evolved over the years.
Since the days of yore, mothers have played a crucial role; they are the primary caregiver across all cultures, the first teacher, counsellor, family model, the emotional backbone in a family.
Mothers stayed at home and tended to the house and children, while fathers went to work.
While this still rings true in many families today, since 2000 there has been a marked increase in diversity in a household. The modern mother gets married, pursues her career first and has children at a later age. Or, has a family first, then returns to work.
Whatever the priorities are, it is always the essential primary bond within a family that has shaped a mother’s role.
Can mothers today with all the modern conveniences still play that crucial role? We live in a contemporary society with an unending litany of ills.
A society that wants a high female labour participation rate, but sometimes without the provision of necessary childcare support and other facilities, although Malaysia is not alone in this.
A 2011 study by the Social Issues Research Centre on the British household said it is “impossible to trace the changing face of motherhood and the complex social networks” in which they have grown over the years.
It is, however, “possible to plot the changing face of motherhood in more recent times, examine what has changed, and where it might be going in the future”. In the Malaysian context, it means a rethink of government policies on women.
The deputy prime minister recently said the government’s target was to have women account for 30 per cent of those in decision-making positions, especially in the private sector, by 2030.
What do women want, beyond having a family and successful career? An educated citizenry? Or, economic growth without balanced development? One thing’s for sure, we have to stop imitating the west where mothers are constantly manning the conveyor belts and the family left to fend for itself. Less copying, more originality.
Women must be educated, particularly those from the rural areas. Even the least able should have that coveted Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia.
For example, holding English classes for the “kaum ibu” traders at Pasar Payang in Kuala Terengganu. Imagine them being conversant in English — besides helping them entrepreneurially, it’s easier for their children to pick up the language. This is good, socially and economically.
The hope is that somewhere along the line, intellectual stimulation occurs. Mothers must be given a choice to accommodate work and caregiving.
They must be developed within the context of a family. Government policies should include this — allow mothers to work and have that peace of mind. It is all about bringing heart and soul into governance.
As the world evolves and women get “older” and “bolder”, the face and role of motherhood changes. Indeed, mothers are one of God’s great gifts to mankind — “as they strive to nurture and teach their children, they are also making the world a better place”.