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Mumsnet founder Justine Roberts on why the new school year is a chance to 'reset' equality at home

Mumsnet founder Justine Roberts - Geoff Pugh
Mumsnet founder Justine Roberts - Geoff Pugh
Stella magazine promotion
Stella magazine promotion

As children head back to the classroom this week, Mumsnet founder Justine Roberts has spoken out about taking the opportunity to "reset" the inequality that has crept into households nationwide. "Now is a good time to reconsider how tasks and efforts are being divvied up," she said. “...write it all down and have an honest conversation about how much each of you are going to put in.”

The business woman, mother and equality campaigner was discussing the difficulties mothers are facing during the coronavirus crisis on Stella Magazine's new IGTV series, Stella Live Bitesize. It is the first in the Instagram interview series, which will feature a host of high profile women covering everything from career conundrums to fashion dilemmas. Speaking about regaining equality at home and at work as the nation's children head back to school, Roberts said: "This gives us a chance to reset."

As the Telegraph’s Equality Check campaign has highlighted, working mothers often shouldered the burden during lockdown, with women's careers now disproportionately affected.  “It’s coming from every angle, the squeeze and crisis on women’s time,” she said. “Mother’s have been hit by a triple whammy.” More women in sectors impacted by Covid, they are  more likely to have lost their roles and then when at home they are also taking on more of the childcare, she explained.

So, what should be done? “We need more than just changes in the home...Childcare needs to be viewed as essential infrastructure. Very often it’s seen as the mother’s responsibility and the mother’s responsibility from her income.”

Mumsnetters have been quick to offer their own tips for greater role division at home, too. “Much of the advice is from women and to women, saying, you’ve just got to duck out and let them, not only do it, but do it badly,” suggested Justine. She also observed: “What tends to happen is men do one of high visibility tasks and women do the day-to-day drudge…”

Speaking about how to approach conversations at work, Justine advised: “Honest conversations with employers, and try and come up with not just problems, but solutions.” She added “It’s accepting that you are a human being in the round, with everything that comes with it, and not trying to hide and pretend you are perfect."

On a positive note, the Mumsnet entrepreneur also believes the workplace has become more accepting of parents' roles at home. "It will, and has become the norm, that people’s whole selves will be accepted at work.”