In a nod to Mother’s Day, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chao Tien-lin (趙天麟) on Friday revealed submissions to an online survey he held, seeing which statements were most likely to make mothers roll their eyes.
Chao shared the results at a Taipei news conference joined by DPP Kaohsiung city councilor candidates Lin Chih-hung (林智鴻) and Lee Ya-hui (李雅慧).
Some of the Facebook submissions that received the highest number of reactions included: “You have given birth to two daughters, you need to have a son”; “Your child is always getting sick because you ate whatever you wanted during pregnancy”; and “You should have a lot of free time now that you do not have to work and are only looking after the children.”
Chao also highlighted: “I see other pregnant women doing the same amount of work, why can’t you?”; “Household chores are a woman’s responsibility”; and “Your child is hungry. Aren’t you going to take care of it?”
The survey allowed respondents to reflect on various aspects of child-rearing, Chao said, adding that he would work with Lin and Lee to push for public childcare policies such as increased financial subsidies and public childcare facilities.
Some mothers face financial stress, because they quit their job to take care of their children or must send their children to a private preschool because they were unable to secure a spot at a public preschool, Lin wrote on Facebook, adding that it might be possible to use space at neighborhood activity centers to offer additional childcare services or as a place for parents and children to study together.
The submissions showed obvious prejudices when it comes to the division of household chores, Lee said.
Many family members and friends express their own opinions regarding child-rearing, causing mothers to become both physically and mentally exhausted, she said.
To facilitate a friendly childrearing environment, society must be more considerate of women, she added.
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