Stay at Home Mum or Entrepreneurialism

Posted by heather on July 10, 2012

An article in which Cherie Blair states that mothers who choose to stay at home, lack ambition and bring up children who are dependent on them is very frustrating.

I find comments like this so out of touch and unrealistic from someone who is well paid within her own right, has earned of the back of her famous husband and paid for childcare, housekeeping and any other help she so desires.

Many mothers want to stay at home to bring up their children, but also want the opportunity to work from home. If employers could offer more flexible working then so many more of us mums particularly with school children could work during term time school hours. That way mothers who want to work can do so, remain updated with their skills and therefore able to resume longer hours when family life allows them to do so.

As a country, our mind set is very much set in its ways and unless we are able to start thinking outside the box things are unlikely to change. In schools we need to start teaching our kids that it is ok to be adventurous in our thinking, to take risks (calculated ones), to have self belief and to be an employer not an employee.

It may help keep kids who are disenfranchised over the education system to stay in school particularly if it gives them a chance to explore ideas and that someone is listening to them. There is no reason that kids cannot set up their own companies as part of the school curriculum. Money earned could be saved towards University fees if they desire or released once that child turns 18. Whilst there are schemes such as Young Enterprise they are extra curricular and not compulsory.

Entrepreneurialism is in us all, it just needs to be nurtured and allowed to blossom, rather than beaten out of us by negative, damaged adults who are bored and don’t like seeing others thrive in the work place.

There is a solution, it needs to be taught from a young age, dare I say it… starting in Primary school Key stage 2 , so that the youngest generation won’t know any different. Now that would be forward thinking…