Letter: Working parents
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir: "Mothers' bonds with children `harmed by work', " you report on 8 November. But what about fathers' bonds? How "in tune" are fathers, particularly when they work full-time from their children's birth to their leaving home?
And what about the bonds of non-birth mothers in lesbian or heterosexual households? If they work when the children are small, does this create "less warm and positive relationships"?
Rather than this continual "guilting" or problematising of working mothers, I'd like to see more coverage of research on family diversity and innovative structures for child-rearing.
And what about promoting the idea that not only birth mothers but all of us could benefit from "community-friendly" working lives that allow us all to spend more time and energy developing our relationships with children and other adults?
DAVINA COOPER
Professor of Law
Keele University
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments