Society turns ‘evil eye’ on mums with no job

ALMOST half of young mothers refuse to be stay-at-home mums because they fear other women will look down on them, new research revealed yesterday.

PRESSURE Young working mums posed by models PRESSURE: Young working mums (posed by models)

Overall, 61 per cent of women said they thought society turned the evil eye on full-time mothers.

Nearly half of mums in their 20s and a third of all ages said they did not feel they could give up work because they worried about getting negative reaction and snubs from working friends.

They said this put pressure on them to return to work, even if they preferred not to.

Those in their 20s were most sensitive to negative reaction from other mums, according to the poll of 2,000 women both with and without children.

Despite 41 per cent of women admitting that they would like to spend more time at home, nearly one in three felt full-time motherhood was out of reach for them because of pressure from society as well as the current recession.

Those who took part in the study, which was conducted by detergent brand Persil to celebrate 100 years of the washing powder, said the defining qualities for women in 2009 were being multi-skilled and versatile.

They also voted Nigella Lawson, Marge Simpson, Michelle Obama and Victoria Beckham the most popular domestic role models. The study found that women spent an average of six hours a week on household chores with mothers spending 30.5 hours each week on cleaning, washing and childcare.

But 39 per cent of full-time working women still felt it was impossible to look after their home as well as they would like. The research also found husbands and partners did less than 25 per cent of the housework, with one in 10 doing none at all.

Cultural and social historian at Oxford University, Dr Stella Moss, said: “In the last hundred years women have witnessed huge changes.

“At the turn of the century a woman’s place was invariably in the home, but changes in attitudes as well as better technology mean many enjoy greater freedom than their mothers and grandmothers.

“It’s interesting to see that many women are increasingly interested in a stay-at-home role, but both the economic climate and perceptions in society are holding them back.”

Almost one in four of those who took part in the study blamed the media for putting pressure on mothers to return to work after having children.

Taking on a domestic role instead of doing paid work was negatively portrayed in TV programmes, according to 38 per cent of the women. A further 29 per cent said that full-time motherhood was out of reach for them due to the current recession.

Young mother Amanda Shapiro, of Borehamwood, London, went back to work when her son Coby was nine months old.

The 33-year-old, who works part-time in consumer PR, said: “The issue of me going back to work was never really discussed to be honest.

“It was just always presumed that I would go back. Living in London there is a financial strain if you don’t return to work, so I was always going to.

“It’s the done thing and everyone I know with children has done the same.”

Mrs Shapiro, whose son is now 18 months old, admitted that “society definitely does look down on women who choose to stay at home”.

She added: “There is an element of bitterness involved and other people resent that they have to work while you are at home.”

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