Latest News:  

English>>China Society

Give mothers a break: report

By Yang Yao  (Chinadaily.com.cn)

14:21, May 13, 2013

Women's rights advocates in Beijing said moms should take a day off while others did the housework on Mother's Day instead of simply buying presents for them.

"The commercialization of Mother's Day, which was intended for honoring mothers and the influence of mothers in society, is becoming too rampant," said Xiong Jing, a web editor for Women's Voice and a volunteer with Women Network, a Beijing non-governmental organization.

When it comes to Mother's Day or any kind of holiday, shopping malls start marketing and commercializing holiday values. These places are packed with buyers drawn by themed sales.

Gold, cosmetics and flowers are the top three products that sell, Changjiang Times reported.

Han Hongmei, a middle-aged woman with a child at school, said: "I do not need empty praises or gifts to mark my success as a housewife. What I need is for my husband and child to cherish and respect my contribution to the family."

The third survey of Chinese women's social status conducted by the All Women Federation, which has carried out the poll once every 10 years, shows that 72.7 percent of married people agree that wives do more housework than husbands. For families with children aged under 3, mothers undertake 63.2 percent of the family care work.

Lyu Pin, chair of Media Monitor for Women Network, a Beijing-based NGO dedicated to advocating gender equality, said that simply buying things for mothers is not a full expression of gratitude to them.

However, a survey by Horizon Research Consultancy Group in 2012 showed that 37.1 percent of 3,175 interviewees in 12 cities choose to send gifts to their mothers, while 33.3 percent call or text them and only 5.3 percent choose to stay at home to keep them company and help with the housework.

"People should help mothers by doing more housework and let them have a day off," Lyu said.

We Recommend:

Photo story: Flight attendant's daily work

Touching love stories in earthquake

China’s weekly story (2013.4.19-4.26)

Female pilot rescues quake-wounded

Cool shades
Summer is coming

Images of Hong Kong
in 15 years

China’s weekly story (2013.4.13-4.19)

Nothing left but heartbreaking memories

Photo story: Meeting a telephone operator girl

Email|Print|Comments(Editor:HuangJin、Chen Lidan)

Leave your comment0 comments

  1. Name

  

Selections for you


  1. Warship open day popular with youth

  2. New Zealand's frigate revisits Shanghai

  3. Photos of the week (May 4 - May 11)

  4. Hot wave hits N China
    in photos

  5. People mark 5th anniversary of Wenchuan Earthquake

  6. Mao photograph sells for $55,300 at Beijing auction

  7. Photos of 19th-century Beijing to be auctioned in London

  8. A "Dream" in Wuzhen Theatre Festival

  9. Yacht exhibition held in Hong Kong

  10. Now it's time to enjoy life, says Jack Ma

Most Popular

Opinions

  1. Yuan appreciation nears limit: experts
  2. Renaming 'Arab Spring' cannot hide prejudice
  3. Negative forecast leads Rio Tinto to lay-off
  4. Suffer the children, suffer the country
  5. China, India have wisdom to handle sensitive issues
  6. Ending 'too big to fail' going to be hard work
  7. PwC: Environment hard for Chinese banks
  8. The Rise of the South
  9. Chance for dual face-to-face talks slim
  10. China's regional disparity offers growth potential

What’s happening in China

Levitating Beijingers

  1. Pizza Hut puts customers' private info at risk
  2. Photo story: Hot wave hits N China
  3. 9 tropical cyclones to land in China
  4. SW China landslide kills 5, injures 3
  5. Sichuan colliery death toll rises to 28