… in a society caught between modernity and patriarchy…
May 15th, 2020
Yes, we are aware of it: The stress and the division between home office, childcare, and education of the children, is demanding. The caretaking partner needs to divide the time, and needs nerves of steel, which are treaded on by the kids and sometimes the employer alike.
Now, even the school education needs to be taken over by the parents – thanks to the formidable digital advances made in Germany.
Take a look at Africa or some remote areas of the world: There’s a good chance you find a fast internet connection. Come back to Germany, and you hit rock bottom: Spotty internet, broken connections, sometimes several weeks without connection, until the provider is able to fix the line. Welcome to Germany – the model example of progress and digitalization.…?
The current pandemic are exceptional circumstances, which will continue for quite a while – independent of the opinions provided by certain media and industry sectors (the virus does not care!). Harvard studies are predicting a duration until at least 2021, maybe 2022. You should get ready for that.
Unfortunately, in times of exceptional circumstances, during a natural disaster such as this pandemic, we observe that childcare is provided exclusively by mothers in most cases.
Dear fathers, please take care of your children and your partners! This is a matter of bravery, masculinity, and self-confidence. It would suit you well to take care of your children. Children are the future, for you and the country; what is more wonderful than kids?
Women who find someone to lend an ear and show appreciation, experience a much happier relationship. This is lifting the partnership to a next level. We appeal to you: Take a heart in trying. Oliver Kahn once exclaimed after a lost soccer match: “Balls, we need balls!”. Our question to you: Do you have balls?
Dear mothers, we know you are achieving exceptionally. The pandemic is a exceptional situation. Put your partners to the task. Give it a try!
After the pandemic with its exceptional circumstances, it will get better. A pandemic is passing with time. Just hang on and try to see some positive aspects. Try some serenity and love. Things will go on after a while. And you may and should point out directly to anybody who is addressing you chauvinistically, that this is not acceptable. Tell them what you think. It is about time!
In Germany, we are missing emancipated relationships and employers. We can say from our experience in family, with friends and in neighborhoods, that emancipated relationships are much happier, since you are a team, and not alone.
Sometimes, however, it might be liberating to walk alone for a while; all it needs is some courage to change.
Who doesn’t want to be happy?
Stay curious and courageous and try to make it better every day.
Yours,
Sabine and Joerg
Note: The both of us come from strictly paternalistic family backgrounds, we decided to live emancipated in every aspect. In general, there is no way back, the way leads ahead in all aspects of life.
Meet Sabine at XING: https://www.xing.com/profile/Sabine_Breun
Visit Joerg at LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/jörg-baumann-phd-0710b11a3