Amanda Steinberg here, founder of DailyWorth. SO good to be back in your inbox again. In case you’re wondering where I’ve been … You may or may not remember, DailyWorth is now under the NEW leadership of my mentor and dear friend, the longtime TODAY Show money expert, Jean Chatzky, and her company, HerMoney. As I’ve witnessed the challenges women have faced – mentally and financially over the last few years – I asked her if I could return in 2022 and offer you some new perspectives. Fortunately, Jean agreed and handed me this mic! So, welcome to the DailyWorth x HerMoney Reboot 2022. As caretakers and providers, sometimes we forget that, as women in 2022, we don’t have to martyr ourselves for the sake of our families. Everything that SEEMS to be our job isn’t necessarily our exclusive domain, but we so easily fall into patterns, especially when the world falls apart. In that spirit, I invite you to have a seat. You might want to fasten your seat belt, because I am about to pose a pretty provocative question. What if I suggested that it is not a given that women are naturally more nurturing than men? This isn't wild musing on my part. In fact, it’s a notion that I have been reading about and exploring extensively over the last few years. If the pandemic did nothing good, I think we could agree that it gave us all pause (and more than our share of angst) to ponder the question, “Why does it feel like all the weight is on MY shoulders to oversee the kids’ homeschooling, take care of the house, keep the family functioning and safe from a lethal virus, deal with everyone’s bad moods – from my spouse to my boss, who now has easy access to (what was once my sacred space) via Zoom at any time?” Whether you’re stay-at-home, stuck-at-home, or begrudgingly back to in-person offices – it’s clearer than ever that being female in our culture means putting our own needs last. We fight for equal pay. We negotiate for paid leave. We plead with our children to do their damn laundry. And yet, we seem to be sliding backwards… begging the (sarcastic-not-to-be-taken-at-face-value) question: “Is this the natural order of things?” Controversial as it may be, and I’ll be the first to concede that it is, the conventional “wisdom” that women are biologically better caretakers, and should proudly bear that crown, is not etched in stone. Might we use this tumultuous moment in time to shake up the world order, or at least give it a nudge? Consider this if you will… social construction – not physiology, hormones, and sexual anatomy – is the main driver of who is expected to do what in the home. I see some eyes rolling; I get it. This is NOT a popular, mainstream belief. Yet this idea is a critical one for women to consider if we want to carry a fair share of the burdens of work, home, and family. When it comes to matters of care, compassion, and empathy, even if the price is our sanity, women are pretty widely considered the default setting everyone turns to. Just sayin’... what if that belief – one that women and men perpetuate together – is partially to blame for our exhaustion? Xox, Amanda *** Tell Us. Do you agree or disagree that “women are naturally more hard-wired to be nurturing than men.” Jean and I will read every single email from you and report back in a few days on what you think. **** |