Evolution of Motherhood

Rashim Deepika
“A Mother who is really a mother is never free” (Honore De Balzac)
Celebration of motherhood can in fact be traced back to ancient times. Ancient Greeks celebrated Rhea, the mother of the gods, while ancient Romans had a holiday to celebrate Cybele, a mother goddess.
The traces the way embarking a motherhood moved from being women’s sole purpose, to an assumption, to a duty to produce heirs, and finally, to a decision for the women herself.
Motherhood was thus honored as an almost mystical ideal. Men were expected to Show lifelong deference and respect to their mothers.Mothers of kings even held their own courts and led influential factions in royal politics.
On the downside, the medieval diet was low in iron, which women need more than men. Iron deficiencies meant many women were frail during child bearing years, and death during childbirth was common.In general, women died much earlier than men- but if they survived their childbearing years, they often lived longer than men.Later, changes in agriculture that brought better nutrition significantly raised the average woman’s life expectancy.
For woman of all social classes, raising a son to adulthood was the only means of securing their own support in old age.
Early Modern Mothers
Motherhood in early modern times has been described as “nasty, brutish”. Early modern women spent about fifteen years either pregnant or nursing their children. Some peasant mothers hanged their swaddled babies on hooks to keep them out of the way while performing their daily chores.Babies were carried out to the fields and placed near where their mothers worked, sometimes secured in trees. The reformation was key in upgrading motherhood to a teaching position. Mothers were expected to instruct their children in reading and religious knowledge. Women were still restricted from official positions, and many women in lower social classes remained illiterate, but the foundations of women as educators were laid.
The 17th century gave a different cult of motherhood, as breastfeeding became a moral issue. Even Wealthy women were encouraged to breastfeed their own children, although many still relived on wet nurses. This new emphasis on the joys of motherhood and celebrating domesticity became the full fledged “cult of motherhood’ in 18th century.
Industrial Revolution
Usually motherhood refers direct personal care aspects of mothering, the woman’s ability to contribute to the income of the household can also be considered a form of motherhood. Industrial Revolution has reshaped the role and perception of motherhood.
The effect of the industrial revolution on women’s employment was mixed. On the positive side, new labour opportunities were developed, the classic division between the man as provider and women as domestic expert began. Woman not only formed a part of this family labour force, but had to struggle to manage the greater domestic strain of having bigger families.
The 1930s marked a radical shift in family structure and the ideals of family life a good mother did not work, and women who did peruse carriers were stigmatized a selfish women.
The role of mother became even more crucial. The war years caused most families incredible hardship.Around five million war widows were left alone to cook, Clean and care for the children. Stresses and strains of separation and war trauma raised divorce rate.
The 1950 s encouraged the ideal of the stable and model family. Women were again placed in charge of housekeeping and raising the family.
With the sexual revolution of the 1960s women began to exert, power and freedom more publicly, attitudes towards women changed a surprisingly little amount.
With the rise in feminism equal right and women employment began to change.Women with college degrees started using their degrees to enter the professional world. Besides her responsibility and duty of taking care and upbringing of her child, the role of “Educator” relegated to professionals. Children as young as two and three years old were sent to pre-school, allowing mothers to pursue careers as well as have a family. Even though beliefs that the rise in working would bring about the demise of family, women proved they were still the glue that held the family together.
There is no denying that mothers certainly have a tough job to carry out, even if concerns like death challenges during child birth have been largely controlled. One of the biggest challenge in raising children today is dealing with outside influences such as drugs, alcohols, peer pressure, television and other media outlets which were not prevalent even thirty years ago.Though children are expected to be more self sufficient,mothers are often the one caught juggling the duties of work and family life.Mother is the woman who raises you, who is there for you to hold and comfort you when you or sick or hurt, who cries with you, who loves you, even when you are not exactly lovable, for whatever reason.
As women are care givers of children their role is essential to producing well adjusted adults who grow up to became positive contributors to society. The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world. Woman have a tremendous opportunity to right some of the wrongs in society, and to heal the world with the values they instill in their offspring.
The world in which we live is still very much run by men, as they are primarily policy makers, that govern over societal infrastructures for the most part. The relationship and material bond shared between a mother and son, will greatly impact the kind of man that son become. Little girls in particular need to be coached and affirmed by their mothers, so that their self esteem and confidence will help them make good choices in life. In addition, girl should have access to all of the same educational opportunities as boys, because girls often grow up to become mothers themselves. Children of educated mothers are more likely to poses a greater learning potential, which will help them achieve more in life.

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