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| Many mothers in Britain have to juggle their work and
home life. |
Father leaves for work in the morning
after breakfast. The two children take the bus to school, and mother stays home
cooking and cleaning until father and the kids return home in the evening. This
is the traditional picture of a happy family living in Britain. But is it true
today?
The answer is no! The past 20 years have seen enormous changes in
the lives and structure of families in Britain.
The biggest change has been caused by divorce. As many as 2
out of 3 marriages now end in divorce, leading to a situation where many
children live with one parent and only see the other at weekends or holidays.
There has also been a huge rise in the number of women with
children who work. The large rise in divorces has meant many women need to work
to support themselves and their children. Even where there is
no divorce, many families need both parents to work in order to survive. This
has caused an increase in childcare facilities, though it is
very expensive and can be difficult to find in many areas.
In addition, women are no longer happy to stay at home
raising children, and many have careers earning as much or even
more than men, the traditional breadwinner.
There has also been a sharp increase in the number of
single mothers, particularly among teenagers. Some people have
blamed this increase for the rise in crime. They
feel the lack
of a male role model has damaged these children in society.
However, these changes have not had a totally negative effect. For women, it
is now much easier to have a career and good salary. Although it is difficult to
be a working mother, it has become normal and is no longer seen as a bad thing
for the children.
As for children themselves, some argue that modern children grow up more
independent and mature than in the past. From an early age they have to go to
childminders or nurseries, and so are used to dealing
with strangers and mixing with other children.
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