8 march 2007 international woman's day

So it's international woman's day.

I studied the development of the women movements in some countries, and felt energised by what so many women did and accomplished.

Often I wonder if women around the world really understand how gratefull they should be.

On the other hand...there's still much work to be done.

In my country...at the time when I was born... women lost their jobs when they married.
Only when I was about 12 my mother started to work again.
Our whole life changed... she couldn't cope at all... but none cared.

Then the women's movement accentuated that it was not as important that women had a working carreer.. women needed to have a choice.

So the stay at home mom was as important as the working woman. They were all contributing to society according to their talents.

The last years it has become the norm again that all women work.
Even disabled women can work part of the day, and who cares if they fall asleep the very moment they come home and sit down.

I'm a mom with more than a handful of children. Most of them have an autism spectrum disorder.
They need careful guidance to leave in time for school, properly dressed, with their agenda and books in their bags. Some need to be told to tie their shoelaces, to put on a clean t-shirt, underwear.
They're between 14 and 21 years old, and they require as much attention as when they were 4.
Including guidance in social issues, etc etc.

My work starts when the first one opens his eyes, and stops when the last goes to bed.
Leaving me many times just 4 hours of sleep, because one can't fall asleep, and another wakes up very early.

My work includes also visits to doctors, psychiatrists, events, and the schools.
dealing with teachers that "know best", is worse than dealing with aggressive customers, I can tell you that.

Still, I'm considered lowest of lowest of the social system.
I'm not earning money, so I'm nothing.

That I save society a lot of money, because they're not institutionalised is conveniently forgotten.
I'm a psychologist and ironically enough I studied the very same subjects as I now have in my house, each and every day of the year.

A couple of weeks ago I mailed the organising committee of or national woman's day committee about the situation of mothers who can't work because they have to care for disabled children.

They didn't even bother to write back.

Happy woman's day!!!