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Women Are Free to Make a Choice

“Toward the end of World War II，” reports economist Dr. Eli Ginzberg， “large numbers of wives entered the labor force. But the experts were sure that when peace came， the mothers would return to their traditional ways， leaving the work force to devote themselves exclusively to child-rearing， homemaking， and volunteer activities.” Time proved the experts wrong. The percentage of working wives and mothers kept on accelerating through the 50s， 60s， and 70s. “Today，” he says， “about two out of every five women with a child under six are working at an outside job market， and are dealing successfully with responsibilities as parents， workers， and homemakers.”

It is easy， however， to understand the feelings of many mothers who refuse to work， mothers who quit their jobs to stay at home and devote their full time to raising children. Some women assume it is their sole responsibility as wife and mother to take care of their children， their husband and their home. They believe if they quit their job， they could devote more time and energy to being a good wife and mother than they could if they dont. Many women like the freedom of being at home. They can do things they had no time for when they worked. They may read for an hour on a living room chair， take courses in tennis， dance at the neighborhood health club， walk around in the shops leisurely， or relax in the park on a nice sunny day without worrying about being late for work all the time.

Although many women choose to stay home and care for their families， increasing numbers of working mothers have made new lives for themselves outside the home. They like a life filled with an active， money-making job. Though very busy， they lead a full fruitful life. “We werent born with silver-spoons in our mouth，” one working mother says. “We want certain things for our family and we have to struggle to achieve them.” These women feel that their jobs make them more attractive and more interesting to their husbands. With the money earned by a working mother the family enjoys things they otherwise could not： a shiny new piano， a summer vacation on the famous resorts， an assured college education for the children. These mothers believe that carefully selected day-care centers， nursery schools or at-home sitters enrich the childs life with experiences no parents alone can offer. Perhaps children have much less time with a working mother than they do with a mother close by all day long； but the quality of the time is what is important. In a single hour a thoughtful working mother can give to her child as much love and attention as a mother at home all the time can give to her child on a full day.

Because of the attention to womens rights， many mothers who in the past might have felt trapped in their homes have seized opportunities to use their energy and potential in stimulating careers. Yet there are women at home who see their work there as more important than anything. The point on all this， as I see it， is that the society must be made to tolerate choices so that no one is locked into a hateful life simply because someone expects him or her to behave in a required way. People must be free to choose the lives which they believe are best for themselves and must have enough opportunities to change their minds if they make mistakes.

婦女自由做出選擇

“第二次世界大戰快結束的時候，”經濟學家艾力·金茲貝博士說，“大批婦女進入勞動大軍。但是專家們確信，和平到來時，這些母親會回到傳統的生活方式，離開勞動隊伍，專心專意照管孩子、料理家務，以及從事一些自愿參加的活動。”時間證明專家們錯了。在20世紀50、60及70年代，勞動婦女的百分比不斷增長。金茲貝博士說：“今天，每五個帶有一個不滿六歲小孩的婦女中，約莫有兩個在勞務市場工作，而且正在出色地履行母親、職工和家務能手這三者的多種職責。”

然而，為數不少的母親不愿意參加工作，辭職待在家里，全力以赴養育子女。要理解她們的感情和想法并不難。一些婦女認為，作為妻子和母親，照顧孩子、丈夫和家庭是她們唯一的責任。她們相信，辭掉工作比沒辭能有更多的時間和精力料理家務，做一個賢妻良母。許多婦女喜歡待在家里，享受家中的自由，做一些在工作時沒有時間做的事。她們可以坐在起居室的椅子上看一小時的書，可以學習網球課程，可以到鄰近的健身俱樂部跳舞，也可以悠閑自在地逛逛商店，或者，在一個陽光明媚的大好日子去公園放松放松，而不必總是擔心工作遲到。

盡管許多婦女做出待在家里照顧家人的抉擇，但是，越來越多的職業婦女在外面給自己開創了新生活。她們喜歡從事富有成效地賺錢的工作，雖然很忙，但生活很充實。一位職業婦女說：“我們并非出生在富貴人家。我們希望為子女做些事，而只有艱苦奮斗才能辦到。”這些婦女認為正是工作使她們對丈夫更具有吸引力，使丈夫對她們更感興趣。有一位職業母親賺錢，子女可以享受到母親不掙錢便無法享受到的東西：一臺閃閃發亮的新鋼琴，去著名的勝地度過一個暑假，以及確定無疑的大學教育等。這些母親相信，精心挑選的日托中心、托兒所或家庭保姆能豐富孩子們的生活，提供一些父母不能提供的經歷。也許孩子們和一位職業母親聚在一起的時間比和一位整天待在家里的母親相聚的時間要少很多，但重要的是相聚時間的質量。一位關心孩子的職業母親在一個小時之內給予孩子的愛和關懷，比得上一位居家母親全天之內給予孩子的愛和關懷。

由于婦女權益受到關注，許多在過去可能認為自己陷入了家庭陷阱的婦女抓住了機會，把自己的精力和潛能投入到催人奮發的事業中，而一些居家婦女則認為家庭工作比任何其他事情都重要。我認為，最主要的則是應當使全社會容許不同選擇，這樣沒有任何人會僅僅因為某人希望他/她按要求行事而陷入討厭的生活。人們應當自由選擇他們認為對自己最好的生活方式，如果犯了錯誤，必須讓他們有足夠的機會改變想法。