Key Messages
Three Myths That Prevent Equality Among Men And Women: How To Achieve A 50/50 Life For A Healthier Home And Relationship
It’s important that men and women become equal partners in all walks of life – both at home and at work.
Becoming equals is the key to achieving a 50/50 life, which is a life where everyone shares responsibilities in childcare, work and everyday activities.
But it’s not easy to achieve this balance; myths such as ‘men are better suited for the nine-to-five’ or ‘women should stay at home with the kids’ can prevent equality from happening.
To truly enjoy a happy, healthy relationship – including a fulfilled sex life – then it’s essential that men and women equally share the load.
New research indicates that striving for an equal division of tasks really does make for happier children along with healthier physical and mental health for parents.
Being a stay-at-home mom may not be as beneficial as many previously thought; instead, becoming equals helps bring about greater happiness overall!
Quality Time With Your Children Matters More Than Quantity: Debunking The Misconceptions About Childcare
Contrary to what many believe, childcare does not have an unfavorable effect on the well-being of children, as proven by extensive research carried out by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development – it’s the proportion of time that matters and if you don’t overdo it with childcare, your family can benefit from this help rather than being hurt by it.
Seeking out extra help should never make parents feel like bad or lazy caregivers either; in fact, children spend more quality time with their parents today than they did in 1965.
It doesn’t matter whether you are a stay-at-home mother or a working one; mothers who worked outside the home shared only 20 percent less social activity with their children than those who stayed at home.
This means that both types of mothers can better appreciate and cherish the bedtime stories and bath time they share with their kids.
And instead of feeling guilty about not spending enough time with your child because you work or need additional assistance, recognize that these moments are part of taking care of yourself so that you can remain healthy and happy, setting an example for your family.
Two Working Partners Means More Attraction, Better Sex, And Lower Risk Of Divorce
When both partners work outside the home, they experience many benefits that traditional families may not be able to enjoy.
Studies have shown that couples who share household and income-earning duties 50/50 are much less likely to get a divorce than those where just the husband works.
What’s more, two working partners can reap the rewards of two incomes.
This means that if one partner loses their job or isn’t happy in their work, there is the opportunity for the other partner to find meaningful and satisfying work.
Even more importantly, it means that couples don’t need to rely on only one income which helps take some of the pressure off both spouses.
Not only does having two incomes help financially but couples who share responsibility tend to stay interested in one another and form stronger relationships – plus have more frequent sex.
A 2006 survey found that when husbands assume more household chores such as cooking and cleaning, it leads to an increase in sexual activity with his wife.
Similarly, when a wife works outside of the home her sex life with her husband also increases!
It’s clear then that when both partners work outside of the home it leads to a range of benefits – from financial security and relationship strength, to better sex lives for all!
3 Myths That Hold Women Back From Professional Growth And Financial Independence
When it comes to the health and wealth of women, research shows that working women fare much better than those who remain at home.
According to a 2004 study by the Boston Center for Retirement Research, widowed women experience a 50% fall in their living standards once their husband passes away.
On the other hand, even working part-time can significantly improve their financial security.
Moreover, staying home can take its toll on physical health as well – A UK study spanning over 50 years revealed that stay-at-home moms were most likely to experience poor physical health compared to those who worked outside.
A 1989 study also found that female workers have gained psychological benefits such as improved depression scores compared to those who concentrated exclusively on household chores.
So if you’re looking for both short and long-term benefits, consider taking on work outside your home – it could be your ticket to improved physical and mental well-being as well as financial stability!
Don’T Let Others Undermine Your Career Aspects: Stand Up For Yourself As A Mother
Myth #1: Mothers are incompetent and want to work less after they have children is still all too common in today’s society.
Sadly, recent studies have backed up this notion and found that mothers are often viewed as not being as qualified for their jobs or needing to take a step back once they become mothers.
The Princeton study of 2004 was an example of this discriminatory belief.
Students were asked to rate fictional characters in a consultant firm, with one character being Kate – a new mother working from home – while the other character was Dan, which had all the same characteristics but wasn’t a mother.
Kate ended up being evaluated as the least competent candidate while Dan was rated one of the best.
This shows how people assume that mothers don’t challenge current norms and that employers view them as workers who want to cut down on their hours after having babies.
As a result, these new moms receive fewer responsibilities and lower status positions, consequently leading them to search for better job opportunities without challenging their initial employers.
Therefore, it’s important that when women become pregnant or have recently had children, they demand what is rightfully theirs in terms of parental leave to ensure equity within their workspaces.
With assertiveness and awareness of rights, we can shift these perceptions about working mothers and show everyone that we are just as competent after we start families!
The Dangers Of Overworking – And Solutions For Working Parents
Myth #2: In order to be successful, you need to work around the clock is debunked by many research studies and real-life success stories.
Studies have shown that shifts of standard 6-8 hours don’t often lead to mistakes, whereas those of 30 hours are 6 times more likely to result in incorrect diagnoses and mistakes.
In a business sense, this can cost a company, as evidenced by Best Buy’s case; when they altered their schedule by letting employees set their own hours rather than sticking within a fixed template, it ended up reducing employee turnover and consequently upping productivity.
The same applies for working mothers; there is no pressure to adhere to ‘extreme’ working hours some people may believe them necessary for success and meeting certain standards.
One such example of debunking this myth occurred when one female security agency employee asked for 4 day part-time workweek instead of full time.
To the surprise of her boss with whom she had vouched her ability to produce the same level of results and income with days less time, she eventually proved herself to outperform her peers while still on less days – making this myth invalid!
It’S Time To Challenge Gender Inequality In The Workplace And Beyond
Myth #3: Women and Men are treated equally in the workplace.
Unfortunately, that’s simply not true.
Although progress has been made, there is still inequality in many offices around the world.
It starts from a manager’s hiring process, where men typically look for people who have a lot of things in common with them – often meaning another man.
That means that a woman must not just be as competent but even more talented than a male competitor to make it through the hiring process.
This was seen in action when the University of Michigan recognised how few women were earning faculty positions despite many female Ph.D.s candidates completing their dissertations compared to men.
Through things like tutoring their hiring panels and showing studies on how women had to be more competent than male applicants to even be considered by employers, they managed to increase female faculty representation from 14% to 30%.
With enough female representation and influence within companies eventually able to self-regulate itself accordingly from a legal point of view, this does not mean that sexism doesn’t play apart in other ways too – especially if women choose (often unconsciously) not to stand up for themselves when faced with difficult decisions like challenging umpire calls during professional tennis matches which shows that sometimes speaking up is integral for success.
Planning Ahead Is Necessary To Achieve A 50/50 Relationship With Your Partner
Having a successful partnership requires that both partners collaborate in order to make sure each person’s needs are met.
This is especially true when it comes to relationships suffering from traditional gender traps such as division of labor and finances.
Empowering both partners to equally share responsibilities and duties helps to create a healthier, stronger relationship.
Michael Elliott, author of “Men Want Change Too”, experienced the need for collaboration with his own partner when their children were born.
He found himself working more intensively due to their financial needs but also because he enjoyed it.
His wife on the other hand had given up her career in order to be able to take care of the kids and manage the household.
Sharon and Steve, another young couple with similar divisions in labor, sought counselling in order to gain awareness of traditional roles that can easily set back a relationship.
They discussed what would happen if they had unequal incomes while also working out how they would implement an equal distribution of responsibilities at home.
This kind of collaboration between them made it much easier for them to manage their 50/50 lifestyle effectively since they were already aware of potential pitfalls that could occur later on down the road.
It is clear that effective collaboration between partners is crucial to creating a fair partnership where both parties are respected and empowered alike; one which contributes materially and emotionally towards maintaining emotional security and financial stability for years to come!
Mothers Need To Advocate For Paid Maternity Leave And Reassure Employers That They Plan To Return To Work
As mothers-to-be, it’s important that we fight for our right to maternity leave and make sure that when we come back to work, we still have a job.
It’s a sad fact that many countries don’t guarantee paid maternity leave for all working mothers, so getting the most out of your break is crucial.
When talking to your boss about pregnancy and maternity leave, ensure you let them know what date you plan on returning to the office.
This lets them know how dedicated you are and makes it clear that work is still a priority for you.
You should also do your research on maternity leave beforehand, so that you know exactly what you are entitled to even if your employer doesn’t.
California is leading the way by recognizing women’s importance in the workforce through providing paid leave up to 55 percent of their wages for six weeks after giving birth.
Although more can be done in other parts of America and throughout the world including longer lengths of leave and increased financial security – California’s legislation should act as an example of what policies could look like going forward.
By taking steps like this towards securing your maternity leave, specifically planning before talking with your boss and subsequently making it clear when returning to work – not only will this improve your overall experience but it also further reinforces gender equality within society.
Encouraging Fathers To Share The Load Of Caregiving – Keys To Achieving Gender Equality In Parenthood
Getting to 50/50 requires both men and women to support each other.
When it comes to fathers, this means actively encouraging them instead of chastising them.
Studies have shown that fathers are just as capable of caregiving as mothers, but often need a bit more of an encouragement to get comfortable with the task.
It’s important for mothers too, not to be so overprotective and offer unsolicited advice when the father is just trying his best.
On the other side of the equation, men can do their bit to support mothers in their transition back into the workplace after giving birth.
Offering empathy and patience during maternity leave will make for a much smoother transition for her.
With this kind of cooperation from both parties, there’s no reason why 50/50 parenting can’t happen!
Wrap Up
The final takeaway from Getting to 50/50 is that couples truly can make an equal partnership work.
By planning ahead, openly discussing disagreements and delegating responsibilities impartially, both partners can benefit from a healthier and more balanced relationship.
The book encourages couples to take actionable steps to ensure they get there, such as leaving the baby with their husband in order to demonstrate his capabilities as a caregiver and allow him the time needed to have a proper bond with the child.
Adopting these approaches will help set them up for success in achieving their goal of a 50/50 partnership.
