I'm interested to know what other single parents thinkof the
I've recently attended a discussion group regarding women’s inappropriate controlling
behaviour towards other women and girls, in the home and in society. The context of this behaviour in a patriarchal class system is also discussed.
We look at our experiences of;
• Why/how this occurs and obstacles to women supporting women
• Fear that women have about the potential consequences of challenging women and men in the family/society regarding their institutionalised, inappropriate controlling behaviour towards women.
• Women using other women to look after their children/ do domestic chores for no/low pay rather than challenging the fathers of the children to take the time to Father their children by working part time/job sharing etc.
• Women and men’s preparedness to suffer the promotion/personal financial consequences etc. (a Fatherhood Penalty?) of men working part-time/job sharing to establish better personal relationships and create gender equality in the home and society?
• Men’s preparedness to campaign for their own part-time/job share opportunities /paternity leave etc, (a better work/life balance for men).
• Strengthening and improving intergenerational female relationships.
Hope you find this information useful. If you come across any articles on the above issues please post them..
Wow, I may have to thin on that a bit and come back to you. I know that similar subjects are discussed as psrt of the Freedom Programme which looks at the beliefs of an abusive figure who has issues with power and control and how those beliefs are reinforced by society and shared by women. In our society we still have very stereotypical views on men and women and how they should dress, what jobs they should do etc etc and this is all reflected quite strongly in the media. And of course these beliefs are pssed on very quickly and easily to our children as we don't have control over society and media.
Thats all I can thing of for now but it looks like an interesting post that will bring up some good discussion points - thanks
C-L
What an interesting post, Dorrymcmck. Some of the things you list are not just about women being "controlled" or "controlling" but are central to the assumptions on which our system is built, I guess that is the patriarchal society to which you refer?
I do know from experience that the other side of these assumptions means that parenting time is very rarely shared equally and there is an general feeeling that children stay with their mothers after separation, which is totally unfair to the fathers. Granted, the fathers of the children of some of our members here do not appear to be interested in making a parenting contribution, but I know of so many men who would love to be more involved in their childrens' lives.
What does everyone else think?