Introduction
Mothers are significant to their daughters since they guide them on how to make decisions in life for success. Crisanta Sampang, in her blog post “Motherhood for Dollars,” presents a dilemma that many mothers often face. Parents’ decisions to work abroad can help meet the family’s needs, but being closer to their children is even more critical.
Arguments
Crisanta Sampang’s immigration to Vancouver, Canada, enabled her daughters to afford the basics of life, as well as some luxuries. According to the author, “…my children went to a good school, they had generous allowances and mobile phones…” (Sampang, 2015). Crisanta Sampang’s work enabled her to fulfill her moral obligation of providing for her daughters’ basic needs.
Attending good schools may be significant for daughters in securing job opportunities in the future. Given the limited employment opportunities in the contemporary world, parents who go to great lengths to provide for their children should be appreciated. Therefore, the author met her primary obligation of providing for her daughters.
Technological advancements have facilitated human interactions, regardless of the distance between individuals. Crisanta Sampang utilized information technology, including webcams, to maintain constant communication with her children (Sampang, 2015). The author created time for the daughters, despite the tight work schedule in the foreign country.
In particular, she states, “We’ll exchange news, trade stories, laugh together and have a good look at each other…” (Sampang, 2015). Her effort to maintain a social bond with the daughters shows how much she loved them. Considering the challenges that come with working from abroad, constant communication with loved ones can be enough.
Poverty and a lack of education can be countered by seeking and exploiting opportunities as they arise. Crisanta Sampang comes from a farming community in the Philippines where opportunities are scarce. Therefore, if she chose to stay in the village, her daughters would languish in poverty and lack of education.
Her choice to move to Canada for work set a good example for her society. Any community member intending to change their life would have to take the bold move to find work in a developed country. While a positive social change is beneficial, the sacrifices that accompany it are inevitable.
Counterargument
Working abroad is crucial for overcoming poverty and meeting family needs, but that does not negate the moral obligations parents have in raising their children. Crisanta Sampang was more focused on the material needs of her daughters, forgetting that values were equally important. She can be blamed for failing to bring up her daughters in a manner that balances their basic and moral needs.
Conclusion
Crisanta Sampang’s employment abroad helped in meeting basic needs such as shelter and food. Her action was prudent given the dysfunctional status of her home village. The sacrifices she made were crucial for positive social change in the Philippines. Although Crisanta Sampang fulfilled her parental obligations, her family’s closeness to her daughters led to their poor life decisions.
Reference
Sampang, C. (2015). Motherhood for dollars.