Answer Back: Children’s views on working mums
Jodie Pearce, 10, Plymouth
Mothers should stay home and get paid as if they were working. Their children need them the most and mothers need their children just as much. Mums should also get paid because some families cant live on their dads wages (if they have a dad). If there is a dad sometimes they come home and say, why arent the dishes done? then the mum says, I've been at work all day.
| Women who have careers should work part time until their children can look after themselves, say 16. |
Gillian Antwi, 14, London
A mothers place is in the home, but this does not mean that this should be her only role. You could argue that a mother going out to get money for her children is part of her role. There should be no problem with a woman going out to work as long as it does not interfere with being a mother.
Siobhan Quinn, 12, Belfast
If a mother works she has to help the kids, make the dinner and look after the family. This is too much. Mothers should stay at home.
Sara Hawkins, 17, Sheffield
Women should not be paid to stay at home and look after children. Women should have the same options as men. The proposal almost destroys all the hard work that generations of women have done to ensure that they are treated with the same respect, given the same rate of pay and always have the same choices as men.
Brendan Richardson, 14, Plymouth
Mothers should be paid to stay at home because it is better for them to give attention to their children. My mother is one of the most important people in my life because she knows exactly what I need. Children need support at school and with their studies. My mum comforts me when I get home, she asks me how my day was and we chat. Women who have careers should work part time until their children can look after themselves, say 16.
Ciara Leathem, 13, Belfast
Mothers should have a choice. Mums can feel lonely at home without adult company and it would be easy to fall into depression. Having a job gives you self-confidence. If I were a mum, I would stay at home for six months when the baby is born and after that I would go back to work.
Jodie and Carly Nicholls, 11, Plymouth
If a mother provides for the family because the father doesnt (or cant) get a job, then its better for the family if the mother keeps the job and the father looks after the kids. Mothers should do what they want. They have their own lives and are entitled to their opinions. Our mother works part-time, which we think is OK because she can be at work and at home. When were older if we have babies, we will go to work when the child is four because we want to continue with our careers.
About answer back
answer back is a weekly column by Children's Express members, published in the Parents' pages of The Times.
