Women nowadays struggle to balance their work life and family life as it overlaps with one another, which creates a conflict. They are under pressure to satisfy both their work life and family life, which leaves no room to take care of themselves. Sharon Hays argues “the ideological separation of public and private spheres, a separation according to which the values of intimate and family life stood as an explicit rejection of the values of economic and political life,” to explain the solutions in which mothers should reject economic life and focus on family life. (Hays 18) Hays calls this ‘intensive mothering,” where the mother spends her priorities towards her children instead of focusing on her job. Nonetheless, separating the public and
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(Bell 48) What Hays presumes as rejecting the economic life, explains that mothers spend time with their children, and moving away from the workplace. The choice of separating the public and private spheres is the debate of what mothers would gain, either from work or at home. Yet, there are demands in both spheres that Hays sees against work and family. For instance, the public sphere is seen as more competitive, while the private sphere is more nurturing. (Bell 46) The purpose mothers self-sacrifice the importance of family is the reason why intensive mothering is ideal for separating the public and private …show more content…
For instance, separating the public and private spheres are more likely to occur with middle class women who are able to reject the economic life for their children. Poorer families are less likely to reject the economic life because they have to maintain a stable income to sustain themselves and their children. (Hays 35) Nonetheless, Hallstein comments how physical separation is important for good health because mothers seek a self-reflective response to the child’s importance. (Hallstein 101) Separating these spheres help the mother understand her role is important towards her child’s well-being. On the other hand, not only does class status affect whether a mother chooses her family over her work, it is also her marital status. Mothers who are married have an easier time rejecting the economic life because they have another spouse who provides the income, while the they stay at home. (Walls, Helms, Grzywacz 249) Therefore, their transition out of the workplace and focus on the home, establishes how women are able to achieve the goal of the ideal mother. (Walls, Helms, Grzywacz 249) Thus, women who are single mothers have a harder time rejecting the economic life because they are the main source of income. This being said, mothers have to ensure they provide for their children since they are an investment and require their mothers full attention. Therefore, their
(Bell 48) What Hays presumes as rejecting the economic life, explains that mothers spend time with their children, and moving away from the workplace. The choice of separating the public and private spheres is the debate of what mothers would gain, either from work or at home. Yet, there are demands in both spheres that Hays sees against work and family. For instance, the public sphere is seen as more competitive, while the private sphere is more nurturing. (Bell 46) The purpose mothers self-sacrifice the importance of family is the reason why intensive mothering is ideal for separating the public and private …show more content…
For instance, separating the public and private spheres are more likely to occur with middle class women who are able to reject the economic life for their children. Poorer families are less likely to reject the economic life because they have to maintain a stable income to sustain themselves and their children. (Hays 35) Nonetheless, Hallstein comments how physical separation is important for good health because mothers seek a self-reflective response to the child’s importance. (Hallstein 101) Separating these spheres help the mother understand her role is important towards her child’s well-being. On the other hand, not only does class status affect whether a mother chooses her family over her work, it is also her marital status. Mothers who are married have an easier time rejecting the economic life because they have another spouse who provides the income, while the they stay at home. (Walls, Helms, Grzywacz 249) Therefore, their transition out of the workplace and focus on the home, establishes how women are able to achieve the goal of the ideal mother. (Walls, Helms, Grzywacz 249) Thus, women who are single mothers have a harder time rejecting the economic life because they are the main source of income. This being said, mothers have to ensure they provide for their children since they are an investment and require their mothers full attention. Therefore, their