GIRLS, CAREER AND MARRIAGE IN PRESENT SCENARIO
Today’s urban educated parents, bring up their daughters to be independent career women. So they do not have any hitch in spending for their education in the same way they would do for their sons. We all parents being typical Indian in our temperament want our daughter to be married at the right age too and if it is delayed there is a nagging feeling in our mind. Gone are the days when daughters studied till they got a choice groom. Parents were relieved that it was up to her husband, in-laws if she continued her career or became a housewife.
Today’s scene is very different. Here are some common scenes which we experience regarding how daughters & parents behave when it comes to marriage. Some parents spend a large chunk of their savings or take a loan for their daughter’s education towards a good career but also in a subtle way prepare them to give up their career if they found a suitable groom for them. Many of them go abroad with their spouse become housewives and may take up some course to study for a new career or start studying again a career course which they had already completed at home. I find some of them quite happy but of course, sighing once in a while regarding their missed career at home while there are others grumbling as to how they have compromised their career to become just housewives.
Those marrying after entering into a profession mostly continue working even if they have to remain separate. Well, that equation is determined from the beginning so not much grumbling. These couples may decide to have no offspring or delayed issues in consideration to career prospects. The parent’s responsibility comes when they have their offspring. Both maternal & paternal parents as caretaker are quite a common scene. Here the grandparents are needed to handle child’s upbringing, family values, and education if they are available and willing or the child grows up in a daycare center in its early years.
The 3rd categories of girls are to say hardcore career girls who either refuse to marry to continue their career. Marriage becomes a load for them and they don’t want this responsibility in between their career and independent lifestyle. Some of them who are wedded may find the groom too difficult to adjust and may opt to separate. Later if they find a partner in their career life who respects her ways they don’t mind to marry or just decide to live in. Now of course house husbands too are quite in demand for these girls. The film Ki & Ka has made this option quite lucrative.
On a lighter note, it won’t be very unrealistic to say that in this rat race in career, package, promotion etc. some boys may willingly opt to become prized catches as a househusband.
