This post is inspired by OTEE’s thought-provoking post. I have not been able to read the link posted by him as it is blocked in my office but our talk on the comments section gave me this idea.

I sometimes wonder if we women don’t complain a bit too much. Not to take anything away from the superwomen who manage home and career fantastically. My point is that we seldom see men complaining about the problems in their lives!

A woman’s reasons for working may be many but a man has only one reason – he has to be the breadwinner of his family. When a woman gives up her career for her family, she is lauded for her sacrifice. Imagine a man doing the same – he will be called a loser! Of course most men are naturally ambitious but those who aren’t do not have the choice to give up their careers. On top of that they are expected to succeed at all times. A woman may get away with low ambitions (I know I do!) but a man has to go on rising in his profession. If he fails, he is not only looked down upon by the world but also his own family.

Speaking of family, I am sure that if asked to name the most important person in one’s life, 99% people will say ‘Mom’. So will I. Never mind if our mothers are the ones we take most for granted (but then maybe that’s the reason why everybody loves her the most!). But here I want to talk about the other very important person in our life – the father. Or should I say poor father. Because a father works hard all his life to provide a good upbringing to his children. He makes a lot of sacrifices. A father’s love for his kids is no lesser than a mother’s but his status always remains lower in the ‘affection’ department.

Men are supposed to be tough. And therefore they are, or should I say they have to be, the stricter parent. When a child is being difficult, the mom threatens that she will complain to daddy. And it works (of course there are exceptions to the rule). We look up to our fathers and maybe that is the reason we do not see them as clearly as our moms. We don’t give them the same affection as our moms. But do we hear fathers complaining? No sir!

Being a woman in today’s world is not easy. But hey, men don’t have it easy either!