My Account
This month we celebrate the pivotal role that mothers play in the family, workplace and society.
Early settler women in NZ had to be adaptable, ingenious and independent. The country was an early mover in emancipation with organisations such as the Women’s Temperance Union and the Suffrage movement and demand for education at all levels. Maori call women ‘te whare tangata’ (the house of humanity) and venerate them for their ability to create life; but it definitely takes two to tango!
There are known differences in certain areas between male and female brains and this helps us to understand why women are often the ones home executives who organise, plan, delegate, execute and ensure the smooth running of businesses, community organisations and households. Their brains process and allow multitasking and they are more sensitive to others and their surroundings, so are often in the role of comforters and soothers. It is a generalisation of course, but men tend to have more tunnel vision, which can aid focus on the task at hand.
The ability to identify and control emotions varies between the sexes. Female hormones produced by the brain allow more bonding and research at the University of Pennsylvania suggests that sections of the brain used to control aggression and anger responses are larger in women than in men.
Structurally women’s brains have larger hippocampal areas (memory centres) that allow them to sense more of what is happening around them and retain that information. They also have more verbal centres and dominant language skills allowing more manipulation and building of relationships.
However, although there are many exceptions, men generally perform better at spatial skills (such as navigation) using a different area of the brain from women. Perhaps that’s why when driving I can get lost very easily whereas my husband can effortlessly find his way without a map or GPS!
Female brains show more blood flow through an area that allows them to ruminate more and revisit emotional memories. Males will reflect briefly, analyse and then move onto the next task. Rather than revisiting men may change course and do something active like problem-solving.
Most of these differences are complimentary and increase the chances of males and females joining together for survival as a species.
In our home my husband is the “house-husband” and while he is an excellent chef, I am a better housekeeper! He usually does the shopping-his tunnel vision keeps him to the shopping list and budget while I am much more likely to blow it with impulse buying.
We have always shared the childcare and after school activities with our children and I have been fortunate to have the support of a partner who has been prepared to adjust his career (which lends itself to working from home) and to allow me the flexibility of pursuing my career which demands a lot of afterhours work.
There is an old Chinese proverb that says that ‘women hold up half the sky’. Surely men hold up the other half!
