Have you read this article on the Wall Street Journal? It's entitled: Mother Madness. Spend every moment with your child? Make your own baby food and use cloth diapers? Erica Jong wonders how motherhood became such a prison for modern women.
Yeah, I made it half-way through the title and was already seeing pink. I made it a quarter of the way down before I was seeing red!!!
I haven't seen much in the blogging world on it yet. What do you all think?
Here was my initial gut-instinct reaction to the article that I posted on a forum today. "Um...This woman is a quack. Amidst all of the proper grammar and sesquipedalian practice - she is likening all women who use attachment parenting to people who are unrealistic, "too green", unable to have a personality because they are too wrapped up in their children. Who said that ALL women who subscribe to attachment parenting are ALSO "helicopter parents"?????? She also thinks that a husband and wife fundamentally CANNOT raise their children on their own. Sorry but I am not interested in "the village" raising my child. I'll take care of it on my own. The village better butt out. Some people HAVE to work and leave their children. Other put everything they desire to own on their credit cards and drop their kids off at daycare citing that they can't afford to stay at home. Many CAN provide their children with healthy foods and love and attention without creating a monster. Sounds to me like she has to keep the rest of us down so that she doesn't have to feel guilty for her life choices anymore."
I wasn't sure if I was the only one up in arms over this article. Then I found this response from Rachel Emma Silverman in the WSJ titled: Erica Jong: Is attachment parenting a 'prison'? While reading a lot of the comments on both articles, it seems a lot of people are opposed to Erica Jong's opinion. That made me feel a lot better about the condition of the US.
I am 100% diametrically opposed to what Erica Jong posits. However, in all my anger against this whack job, I am reminded of this hilarious video from Mompetition (Warning! They drop the S-bomb at the end so please skip if you are not into cursing!)
Why I can't make mom friends
There is a line between people who like to cook, stay at home with their children and like to be frugal and parents much like the lady in pink in the video. There is so much wa wa about the psychological damage of children by ANYTHING parents do it has thrown most into a state of total irrational paranoia. And creates unnecessary guilt for the parents.
ReplyDeleteEh, screw this completely reductive article. You know what works for your circumstances and your family, then go for it.
oh my I am hysterically laughing. I have to make my own movie too thats neat. I am the black woman to a tee!
ReplyDeleteThe thing this video is talking about is how extreme parents can get and how competitive they are. I actually do know many ppl that are and think just like that lady in pink. thats why its so funny to me.
anyway,
I have to read the article now.
so on the article, i disagree about a lot of it especially the village part, but I think she is speaking of a greater pressure these days to be a perfect parent. 13 years ago when I had my first baby, a lot of this didn't exist. I mean you were expected to be good but not perfect like you are now. For instance: It was ok to use disposables diapers--but now if you say you do ppl think you are killing baby seals etc like in the video. LOL.
ReplyDeletethere is good stuff about attachment parenting and all of these green ideas but no need to extreme things or judge others.
I was once eaten by granola moms for stating that I used clorox wipes instead of vinegar. Seriously. I feared for my life! But I have only met a few moms who are 100% crazy. Most of them are completely normal who just do what works! I used to wear Leo in my ring sling all day because it was the only way to get him to nap!
ReplyDeleteThe competition among moms is silly and nerve-wracking. And it's making new moms crazy! To lump each mother into one category just for using a baby sling or for putting their kid in daycare is scary. I have met hundreds of completely normal mothers who do NOT feel like they are imprisoned by motherhood.