Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/709569
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 31 JULY 2016 17 But motherhood cannot al- ways be a straightforward affair. One News journalist and unwed mother Janice Bartolo has been a dedicated career woman for as long as she can remember, but she discovered she was pregnant when she was still studying at university. Balancing motherhood with edu- cation and work was difficult. "In my case being a career wom- an had a lot to do with the way I was brought up. My own mother always worked and she always val- ued her work. For me there was never any other option. In fact, I felt ill at ease when I had to stop working completely for a short while. My work is an essential part of my life, rather than as some- thing that must be done." But early motherhood and her career was a daunting juggling ex- ercise for Bartolo, seeking to fur- ther her professional career while also being a good mother. "I could no longer just up and leave be- cause I had to see that my son was in good hands," she said referring to her son's father and her family being her support system during this time. When she stepped down from her part-time job at the radio newsroom, she was worried she would not find her way back on the scene. "I was constantly wor- ried it would be impossible to do the same thing while raising a child," she said, having changed career path for a couple of months. "I felt that my life was back in or- der the moment I joined another newsroom. There was to be no happy mother in me without there being a happy worker." Bartolo however says that her career has also made her a better parent. "I respect women who choose to focus exclusively on motherhood. Some do not have the amount of family support that I have. Others believe it is best to be there for their children at all times. In my case, I felt better at work. I needed a place to go to where I had to make an effort to look presentable, where I was expected to deliver, where there was a sense of structure that needed to be adhered to… I found a lot of refuge in the normality that work provided. This made me a calmer, better mother." Being so keen to work outside the house, Bartolo finds it difficult to understand how the option of compensation would keep women away from gainful employment. "Even if there was a significant amount of compensation available for some married women to stay at home, they would opt to go to work, because it satisfies them and because it is probably financially more rewarding than compensa- tion. "The way I see it, staying at home is rarely the only option, keeping in mind the amount of incentives this government is offering, such as the tapering of benefits, in-work benefits, free child care services, breakfast clubs and after-school clubs." Confusing messages M arianne Mercieca says the issue of compensa- tion for stay-at-home mothers should not be a matter of embarrassment. "Compensated housewives shouldn't feel degraded. They are giving a great contribution to so- ciety by giving their children as much time. Being compensated for this would mean that their role is appreciated. Bartolo points out the gender stereotype in the family commis- sion's recommendation: "Whilst the Committee men- tions single fathers, which is re- freshing, there is no mention of married fathers who choose to stay at home, which I find to be very old-fashioned," she said. "Some women earn much more than their husbands. Others are simply more keen to work than their male counterpart." She also says compensation for mothers is somewhat confusing, especially in a climate where the push is for women to get out of the house and into the workplace. "I think women are receiving mixed messages. The various ser- vices available encourage them to Special report One News anchor Janice Bartolo: "My life was back in order the moment I joined another newsroom. There was to be no happy mother in me without there being a happy worker." LSA teacher and mother of four Marianne Mercieca: "Women with older children who are able to be left alone for a few hours can cope without such assistance. So it is not necessary to put that financial burden on the country. These women have options." Stay-at-home mother Alina Mizzi: "I used to be a nurse, but because it has been so long since I worked, I lost my licence. And if I take up a part-time job, my husband will have to pay more tax and I would still need to pay for childcare, so I am not motivated to go back to work straight away because it's not worth it for me at the moment." venture out into the workforce. Women are constantly being told that they have a place in the workforce. At the same time, so- ciety greatly encourages parents' presence in their children's lives. This can leave women in a sea of guilt," she said, pointing to adverts that rarely feature a child being accompanied to school by his or her grandmother rather than with their mother or father. "To a certain extent, the very fact that the Committee of Family Af- fairs is now proposing compensa- tion for housewives is confusing, when one considers the massive drive that the government is right- ly promoting for women to max- imise their potential in the work- force." Bartolo also warns of negative attitudes towards women who choose to enter the labour market in a society that offers compensa- tion to women staying at home. "In this sense, I fear a kind of regres- sion in the Maltese mentality," she said. "Women who stay at home may not be realising their full potential and putting their talents into the workforce. Much has been done in order to ensure that women have an equal standing in all spheres of society… Having both sexes, and both parents and non-parents at work means that the work envi- ronment becomes more adaptable. The more parents and women join the workforce, the more employ- ers are encouraged to come up with new schemes and facilities that enable everyone to work."