To mark International Family Day, the Manuel España Theatre hosted a talk and workshop last Friday 15th by influencer Laura Baena, founder of Club Malasmadres (Bad Mothers Club). During the event, she once again called for a better work-life balance and, in particular, the shattering of the myth of the perfect mother. "We must do everything we can to avoid losing our identity as women, and we must laugh at those failed attempts to be superhero mothers, because we make mistakes and we cannot do everything perfectly”, she said. She also stated that “we need involved institutions, committed companies and a society that truly prioritises care, putting it at the forefront, so that so many mothers do not have to give up their careers to watch their children grow up,” she argued, reiterating that “women cannot do it all, nor do they want to”.

The event was organised by the Department for Family and Equal Opportunities, which is headed by the mayoress of Mijas herself, Ana Mata (PP). Mata shared Baena's view that “for many years, it was mothers who carried the burden of care, of looking after the home and the family, while men focused more on their jobs and doing them as well as possible. A situation that, fortunately, is gradually changing”.

 

Laura Baena is also president of the association ‘Yo No Renuncio’ (I Won’t Give Up), which just two weeks ago proposed a State Pact for Work-Life Balance to the Congress of Deputies, featuring measures to promote social co-responsibility. According to this 'malamadre' ('bad mother') of three daughters, motherhood currently comes at a very high social, economic and personal cost to women, “in fact, many even decide to give up on motherhood despite wanting it. That is why I believe it is important to put data on the table so that decisions can be taken to change this reality”, the influencer stated. The mayoress added that “we are the mirror of the society in which our children will see themselves reflected. If we do not practise shared responsibility at home, dividing tasks and sharing roles as a couple, our children will see that imbalance that ultimately leads to inequality”.

Measures to promote work-life balance

Baena listed some of the demands included in this Work-Life Balance Pact, such as equalising birth and childcare leave, the right to a reduced working week for caregiving without loss of pay until minors reach the age of 16, and the creation of paid leave of at least five days a year to meet work-life balance needs.

During the talk, some thought-provoking statistics were also revealed, including the fact that 82 per cent of women who have become mothers have been forced to make a decision that has affected their career path in some way. Similarly, around 44 per cent of mothers admit to having had to reduce their working hours in order to care for their children, a decision which, she reiterated, “does not stem from personal choice but from the lack of real work-life balance measures”.

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