Why women make better parents?
A proposition that I don't fully agree with, I was given the liberty to express my views for a local women's magazine.
Generally, women make better parents as they have the innate maternal instincts that allow them to take the best care of their children. Women establish a bond with the baby while carrying the child for 9 months before giving birth. However, not all women love children or are willing to deal with the stress of looking after screaming babies and watching over their every little step. The role of both man and woman is equally significant as parents and it is not necessarily so that women make better parents.
Women are prone to mood swings and post-natal depression, and we have read numerous news reports on Mothers who couldn't cope with their stress and depression. They resorted to drowning their babies or physically abusing them before chucking them down the chute. Men in this aspect, despite their less expressive ways of showing affection, can cope with stress management better and are less likely to lose control of their mental faculties and abuse their babies or young children in trying situations. There are of course, abusive fathers and husbands, but generally, men are calmer and tend to cope with stress better.
Previously, women assumed the traditional role of staying home to have children and run the household. Today, the reversal of roles is not uncommon. There are men who stay home to mind the children, whilst the career driven wives take on the role of the sole breadwinner. Times have changed and women no longer fit into a clear-cut role. For some women, having children impedes the progress of their lives and careers; men, on the other hand seem to be more willing to compromise and desire to start families of their own.
Not all women want to be parents, and some resent having the psychological and physical 'burden' of taking responsibility for another young life. As divorces are less frowned upon today, remarriages occur and not all stepmothers welcome the new role of looking after another woman's offspring. The classic Cinderella story is an example that not all stepmothers can love and appreciate children when they assume their new role in the family.
I have read and know first hand about Dads who single handedly bring up their children, and manage to command the love and respect of both sons and daughters alike. Of course, there are also negligent parents, but the fact that a father can perform the same duties and fulfill his responsibilities as a parent makes him just as good a parent a woman may be. I suppose depending on circumstances and the individual parent, the extent of them fulfilling their roles to the best of their ability, can only be judged by their children alone.
Most women make good parents as they are better listeners and tend to be more attentive to one's needs. Being more sensitive than males, women can forge a closer relationship with their children. Fathers are commonly seen as the disciplinarian, but this is not always true. Some fathers can make better parents than mothers; this could be largely attributed to an individual's personal upbringing, the childhood he or she experienced and the values that they believe in.
It would be unfair to say that women make better parents. It is also difficult to judge what makes a good parent. Every one has different objectives and perspectives on having children. I would definitely say that both fathers and mothers are significantly important in the growth and upbringing of a child. There is no good, or better parent. Then again, who is to judge?
