BOTH PARENTS NEEDED

Sir, - Nowadays we educate our daughters and sons to develop their personalities and talents as fully as possible

Sir, - Nowadays we educate our daughters and sons to develop their personalities and talents as fully as possible. Ultimately such development should be enriching to their children as well as to society.

It is an over simplification to make clear divisions between the female aspect, Eros (intuitive, vulnerable, empathic, relational) and the male, Logos (rational, dominant, aggressive, protective, etc.). It is normal that there be some male in the female, and vice versa. Children have most chance of developing well rounded personalities if there is suitable input from each parent.

Both parents are needed, each contributing from his/her own rich and unique store of psychological differences and practical giftedness. There can be no clearly defined rules: some men "mother" most effectively and with considerable empathy, and some women have poor mothering instincts, being aggressive, impatient and irrational.

So be it. Flexibility in working hours and creative approaches to job sharing are essential, so that each partner can contribute his/ her own richness to the workplace and to the home. There should be monetary recognition for the full time at home parent.

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As Rabbi Sacks wrote, "The (traditional) family is the best means we have discovered for nurturing future generations. For any society it is the crucible of the future." It takes morally mature women and men to get the balance right according to their particular giftedness. - Yours, etc

Eden Road, Greystones, Co. Wicklow.