Almost Half Of Australia’s Working Mothers Are Going To Work Sick

Recent research has revealed that almost half of all working mothers in Australia are going to work while unwell because they have used their time off to care for their sick children.

The research indicates a worrying trend that many mothers are all too familiar with.

In the aftermath of Mother’s Day celebrations in Australia and abroad, it seems there is no better time to take note of the sacrifices that mothers are making for their children. A recent survey of more than 1000 women, conducted my Cenovis Women’s Health, has shown more than ever that mothers are often putting others ahead of themselves.

The research showed that nearly half of Australia’s working mothers (as extrapolated from the survey) are continuing to work despite being ill. Their reasoning is either that they have already used the time they were allocated for sick leave to look after unwell children, or that they are stockpiling the leave in case their kids did become sick in the future. However, those same working mothers are racking up around 80 hours a week of work, including both paid employment and work around the home, according to the Courier Mail.

Words From The Experts

The managing director of the Employment Office, Tudor Marsden-Huggins, told the Courier Mail that it was quite common for mums to hold onto their leave in preparation for a sick child:

“I think most employers wouldn’t want any employee to come into work sick, for their own well-being and for the health of those around them. But when you have a young family sometimes there just aren’t enough leave days to go around,” he said.

Marsden-Huggins also noted that, despite it being 2016 and very much a modern world, there were deeply ingrained expectations that it should be women caring for sick children, instead of their fathers. This idea, he said, urgently needed to be challenged.

His sentiments were echoed by nutritionist and mother-of-two Kate Freeman, who told the Courier Mail that the results were a well-timed reminder that all women, mothers included, needed to take care of themselves as well as those around them. This is particularly true as the cold and flu season approaches. Freeman noted that there was an ingrained sense of duty and pride that kept Australian mothers going, but that didn’t mean it was the smart thing to do.

With some mums only getting an hour of “me” time every day, and only 5% of mums taking time to look after themselves when they’re sick, it’s clear that something’s got to give in the parenting world so that equality and self-care are prioritised for the future.