Despite the fact that I took my 18 month old to a
GP and had 2 locums come to my house in a matter of three days I ended up taking
bub to hospital and was told by a doctor that he "couldn't believe a mother
would let her son be so sick and do nothing" he then went out and asked a the
group of students with him what does the symptoms point to, saying things like
"the mother claims this and the mother claims that" and some student said
"pneumonia?" and then they walked off discussing the difference between a good
parent and a bad...
WAS I A BIT CROSS???!!!! You
Bet! The nurse said to me after another incident a few minutes
later where I was spoken to in third person and called "the mother" that she
strongly recommended I make a formal complaint which I did with
pleasure.
What really concerned me about this event was
the patriarchal medical belief that as a mother I did not know
anything about my child. I was slotted into god knows what little box in
his mind. Perhaps I should have worn one of my business suits to ER at 3
am!!!! I might have been treated better than someone who had thrown on
what ever clothes she had close as to get to hospital as soon as
possible. Why is it that if someone who even appears to be in a lower
socio-ecc bracket is a less than perfect parent? I know some mothers who
have incomes of over $100k and they spend less time with their children than
they do with one of their clients...but they do send them to private school,
have designer clothes etc...so that's okay..? Our society has some warped
ideas of what is a 'good' parent.
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- [ozmidwifery] Good - Bad parenting. Judy Chapman
- Jo & Dean Bainbridge