I have The Today Show on. I have it on most mornings. Love it (mostly), get annoyed (only occasionally).
This morning, Dr. Laura Schlessinger was on, talking with Meredith Viera, promoting her book In Praise of Stay-At-Home Moms and I shot 'way past annoyed.
First, let me clarify something: I'm a Democrat, a liberal Democrat and (gasp!) a feminist. There, I said it. So let's say Dr. Laura is not on my A-list of "Wonderful people I'd love to meet."
During the interview, Dr. Laura mentioned that women should stay at home and not work, or if we do work, it should be after our children are in school and preferrably during school hours or after they're in bed and our husbands can watch the little ones. Great. Let's bring back Ozzie and Harriet.
Then she really got down and dirty. When Meredith asked how the econonmy played into this, Dr. Laura stated that now, with daycare centers closing down and jobs being lost, we can all have more time with our children and show them that we'll get through this. This was with an undercurrent of, "Lost your job? Your husband's lost his? You're about to lose your house? Don't look for work...run into the kitchen and bake cookies with the kiddies and then get all warm and cozy with them...yada, yada, yada." Barf is more like it.
I'm sorry, Dr. Laura, but here's the deal. Nobody asks fathers how they juggle work and family. And nobody should ask mothers that, either. Help each other out, yes. But many of us want to work and have children. Many of us have to work. In the tough economy, we need real answers, not fairy tales.
Dr. Laura, take two aspirin, don't call me in the morning. Oh, and get a grip...and a clue.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I knew there'd be a lot of blogging on this today!
ReplyDeleteFirst, I want to compliment you on your writing. It's nice to read coherent thoughts from people I probably don't agree with.
"Nobody asks fathers how they juggle work and family."
Usually they don't ask that, no. But men and women are different, and thus are treated differently socially. I've noticed women tend to ask each other, when discussing a new guy, "What does he do?" - and that gets asked fairly early on. That topic does not come up so quickly when two guys are discussion a woman one of them is seeing, unless the job is a typical "male fantasy" job or otherwise implies she is attractive, as in "She's a model!" or "She's a nurse!"
"But many of us want to work and have children."
We all have choices to make. There are things (perfectly moral things) I could do if I wasn't married that I should not do because I am a married father. Certainly women are physically able to have children and careers outside the home. But unless their husband is home more, their children are unlikely to get the attention they should.
"Many of us have to work."
You do if you want to live in certain places and live certain lifestyles. Again, it is a matter of choices.
LS also advises that men not get married unless they are financially able to provide for a wife and any children they will have. This would include having savings and insurance in case he get hit by a bus. I've also heard her say that men can be the ones to stay home, or people can work in shifts so that the kids always have someone around. However, most women choose to marry a man who earns more than they do, and most expect him to continue to do so. And most women find it easier to breastfeed than men.
Thanks,
Ken
http://tunasafedolphin.blogspot.com
Thanks for your comments, Ken. I agree that we all have choices to make. But there are times when (for lack of a better sentiment) "s*#t happens." Add that to the fact that not every husband (or wife, for that matter) is a successful brain surgeon, nor should they. Someone has to a mechanic, teacher, or sanitation worker. I dare say that there may be one or two auto mechanics (or any other job) in the U.S. who fall in love and get married.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, I have yet to find a man who can easily breasfeed. :)
Again, thanks for your comments
If you really want to be a journalist, maybe you shouldn't reveal you have a liberal bias.
ReplyDelete