We have been brought up in a patriarchal society, teaching us that the household work is a female’s duty and going out and earning is the man’s. This belief is basically the reason women are ‘traditionally’ supposed to look after the household and shoulder the indoor responsibilities. Although, these days we can see a change in this kind of behaviour and belief system, it still has a long way from being eradicated, that’s for sure. The society has been molded according to this belief for a long time now, and it’s about time we realise how much harm it has done to us. Change is the need of the hour.
As a woman, I am very happy that we, in my household, believe in sharing all the responsibilities in our household, be it the small household chores, or the bigger financial responsibilities. If we are to actually #sharetheload, we should start by teaching the men and the boys to do the household chores. We could start with teaching them how to do the laundry. Doing the laundry is a comparatively easy household job as compared to the others, and Ariel makes it even easier.
Ariel’s new film about sons sharing the load really struck the right chord. Take a look
“Are we really teaching our sons what we’ve been teaching our daughters?” I think that is a question every mother should ask herself. The fact is, we teach our daughters to be strong, independent women because it is the need of the hour, but we often forget to teach our sons how to be an equal partner and enable them to continue to pursue their aspirations. The drawback to this is that although the women are equipped to shoulder both these responsibilities, men aren’t taught or expected to shoulder any kind of responsibility when it comes to household chores.
But as today’s women, we have the power to be the change makers of tomorrow. We can teach our sons exactly what we’ve been teaching our daughters.
I think this initiative by Ariel is exactly what the society needs today. It focuses on an equal upbringing and forces us to think and bring about a change in our lives. We, as mothers are equipped to change the future of our society. Making our daughters and sons equally responsible for the household chores is the path towards a bright and equal future, in every sense of the word. And if some of you haven’t started already, start now, because it’s never too late to start. Ariel has taken the initiative by starting the #ShareTheLoad movement, now, it’s our job to spread the word and actually implement it. I am doing my part, are you doing yours?
#ShareTheLoad
Image 2 Courtesy Google