More and more firms in the west are providing creche for children at the workplace so that women can successfully balance their role as a mother and career woman. What do you think about it? From Our Opinion Board

A creche is a great idea but as your children get to school age, the juggling becomes worse. Who takes your child to school? or picks them up? How much is after school care? What to do if your child is sick at school? Do you leave your place of work to go fetch them? You are unable to take job prospects working away from home or travelling around the country. Perhaps employers could look beyond the creche idea? Sharon Vincent, UK

 

I think it is a fantastic idea. In today's times woman who have given up their careers after having children has had great impact on their mental status. Catherine Hart, Dubai

 

It's a good thing to do. I mean, women aren't just mothers anymore. We like to have jobs too. Noir, QLD

 

Great! It can do a lot of help Ann, India

 

Most of the men consider women to be lousy drivers and a major cause for road accidents. What do you think? From Our Opinion Board

Who would know better about safe drivers than car insurance companies. It is a fact that insurance rates for women are lower than those for men. Why? Because, as one car insurance portal online explains, "Men are convicted for 92% of driving offences and 98% of all convictions for dangerous driving". You can check them out at: http://www.her-car-insurance.co.uk - Maya, Atlanta

Women driver are a lot more cautious than men. Men are ussually so aggressive when it comes to driving especially when they're late. Men patience is so limited they reacted violently to anyone who cut off the line. - Alice, New York

 

Depends upon each one's control over the vehicle. Can't blame either man or woman. Even though men think they are superior, women can do a lot of things better and in a proper manner than them. Guaranteed any day! any time! - Marissa, Dubai

 

Men are basically over confident drivers .. and once you are over confident about yourself you tend to loose control.. thats why accidents happen, not because of ladies. Women are generally very cautious drivers. In my sixteen years of driving experience I have yet to see a woman driving with her head twisted around to look at a male driver passing by in another car!!!!! - Afshan Saeed, Islamabad

 

Women are better drivers than men. I lived in the UAE for several years; I found the men to be poor drivers. They were aggressive and tended to push women off the road. - Albanise Bonner, Baltimore, MD USA.

 

Women are not very confident about their driving. They panic very fast. Syed Raza, Madinah

 

Do not agree at all. Women are safe drivers and that is the reason men call them lousy. - Shahani, Dubai

 

I think women are more patient on the roads than men and statistics prove men cause more accidents. - Nimmi, Bangalore

 

I am a 23year old guy and have a driving license too. Well, according to my experience it is true that women are lousy drivers except some of them. The reason being that energetic women who are attentive while driving do not face problems unless they are distracted. - Raza, Dubai

 

Yes, women are really lousy drivers. The driving licenses of women should be cancelled with immediate effect. Rest assure that 80 percent of the accidents will be reduced. - Badar Iqbal, Tripoli.

 

It is not true. Women are more sensible and meticulous drivers as opposed to men drivers. - M Anwar Qureshi, Tripoli

 

It is not at all correct.
- Anil, Dubai

 

More than the beauty paegents, the live barely clad females walking on the streets and seen in our day to day lives are demeaning womenhood itself. --Alice, Dubai

Healthy Weight Loss

After reading the article by Lovely Ranganath Deep, Senior Dietician, Welcare Hospital "Healthy Weight Loss", I am prompted to send you the famous Program of General Motors, targeting their more obese employees. I found it not only weight reducing, but a general body tonic. I thought it might benefit some of Khaleej Times Users. You can read it here. --Dr. P. Gopalakrishnan

Ideal weight

I found your website while searching Google for Ideal weight.
In the middle of your page, you refer to ideal weight, and adjusting for a persons farme size. I've got a new webpage about ideal weight calculations at www.halls.md/ideal-weight/body.htm
Could you have a look at it? I'm wondering if it would be possible for you to link to it, as an extra resource for your readers. The chart you currently use looks a little small and hard to read. Thanks for considering it. --Steven B. Halls, MD

Pregnancy and Diet

Hi! I read your interesting article on "Pregnancy and Diet". Your meal plans were also extremely helpful. I'm at present pregnant(two months) and would like to have more information on these subjects. -- Reshma Alam, Bangalore

Dear Reshma, It's great to hear that you found our article on Pregnancy and Diet useful. The number of topics that can be discussed under the pregnancy are numerous. You'll have to ask for specific topics under pregnancy if you'd like them covered on WomenOne.

Conceiving the Inconceivable

Hi! Your article on fertility treatments in Dubai was extremely useful especially since not much was known about the centre here. I didn't know it was so good. I suggested it to a friend of mine who is desperately trying for a baby and has been going from one gynaecologist to another looking for a solution. --Anita Mathew, Dubai

Is Western influence affecting the institution of marriage in India? From Our Opinion Board

The west has considerably influenced the asian youth and the its becoming more prevelant by the generation. There is more freedom exercised today with regards to a individuals choices and preferences and has enabled most to break through the evils of society associated with it. Though also brings with it the issue of misusing that freedom. Therefore, It has to be an individual that sets his limits and erecrcises his rights with regards the marriage institution. Certainly Western influence will be present as the society as a whole is moving towards it in many respects apart the marriage issue. --Hema, Dubai

As far as western influences being held responsible for repercussions on the Indian marriages, the allegations may or may not sound fair. I believe that an individual performs with the intention to better and improvise upon their life and standard of living. More so, the issue of western society influencing ours has been hyped. It is important to realize that many people today, who emulate the act of others, would probably have been influenced directly, indirectly or not at all.

It is also noteworthy that most of today's generation seems to be good in making the right choices. There are many women today who are not blindly falling into the arms of men who try and sweep them of their feet. I strongly feel that this gesture is commendable. There are those other women, of course, who want to lead the lives of being a homemaker while there are others who juggle with chores at home and work, and use one as a relief to the other. This works well as long as both are content. Whatever the outcome of the discussion may seem to be, there have always been women, who have been sent abroad to earn their merits and have returned with a positive note. These are the women who contribute to making a better and lucid future for many other women today.

It is known that there are many women amongst us who were not allowed to follow their dreams and aspirations, reason being the stereotypical mindset of Indian families. A large number of these women settled into their roles being housewives, whilst many others felt themselves being tortured.

A significant number of women belonging to the latter have been part of a forceful marriage or broken out of one, but have successfully raised their children, especially daughters into bright and confident human beings asking them to pave their own way in life. Most importantly though, asking them to make their own decisions, regardless of the outcome.

I am sure many such influences can disrupt a societal pattern and rupture quite a few of our futile practices, but eventually though, I support, and many others I am sure agree, "A women is able and should be responsible for her own life!"

In fact, I cannot imagine myself performing duties, chores or practices, which are not in my league and unlike me. I look forward to studying well, accomplishing my goals, and building myself a better future. Like I mentioned in my previous discussion that growing up in UAE has been affirmative towards my upbringing, and this too despite being a traditional Muslim country. I am glad that I have seen both sides of the coin, in a balanced fashion. This is true because, I have learned the sanctity in conserving and observing my rituals and duties but also seen the positive result by following some of my own. I am certain these positive ideas, alike in the minds of many young women will not prove to be detrimental but otherwise. --Deepthi Khemani, USA

 

Thalassemia Again!

Wouldn't this disease be less common if people married from a broader array of candidates? The farther apart in genes parents are, the stronger the childrens' immune systems and bodies. In the name of tradition and family name, are we willing to have children who often suffer from illnesses that could have been avoided? People need to rethink fatal traditions. --Ammanni, USA

 

Is Western influence affecting the institution of marriage in India? From Our Opinion Board

I would say to some extent 'yes'. On the positive side, Western education has made the Asian woman more liberated as far as age of marriage is concerned. Today, we do not find many young girls wanting to marry just after school. They want to study further, and perhaps even get a job before they marry. Parents also are becoming more enlightened about the ill effects of getting a girl marrried at a young age. Health wise also this is more beneficial for the girl as she is emotionally and physically more mature when she marries say at 23 rather than at 17. A happy and healthy mother raises a healthy family.

However, Western influences have also proved detremental to Asian marriages. Women are brought up in a more conservative fashion in Asia. There is a delicate balance between the sexes, as far as work allotment and looking after children is concerned. But with education and, to a large extent, Western influence, there is a high incidence of divorce rates in Asia. The reasons leading to this extreme step are varied -- women want to work as well as look after their home. They are not dependent financially on the man, so the man finds his role in the family somewhat diminished.

Instead, he is asked to help out with the housework. Women are earning more than men and hence this can cause maritial discord. They are moving out of the confines of their homes and this can lead to new friendships with males.

Western influences have their positive as well as negative influences on marriages in Asia. What is more important is to realize that we cannot avoid or run from these influences, as the world is becoming a smaller place. What we should do rather is strike a balance between our Asian and Western cultures. Every culture has something good to offer. We have to learn to draw out the good rather than blame the West for any overwhelming cultural influence.-- Caroline Saldanha, Bahrain

 

Parent-Child Relationships

In today's modern and time consuming world, parents often tend to ignore their kids, when they most need them. It may not happen on purpose, but with this fast paced life, where both the parents are working, the children are often ignored or left with baby sitters or maids to be taken care of. This is the time when they feel neglected by their parents and need