Entering the Mommy Wars!

Pity poor Linda Hirschman. Who is Linda Hirschman you ask? Linda Hirschman is the author of the book entitled "Get To Work:A Manifesto" and author of this from the Washington Post. Linda is feeling put upon because any woman who is stupid enough (in her words not mine) to want to be a stay at home mom, is upset at Linda's manifesto which basically says they need to get off of the fat, bon-bon eating rears and get a job! She said that child rearing was not worthy of a womans time and talent!

I heard Ms. Hirschman on Michael Medved's program a couple of weeks back and I what I heard had me so angry I could not see straight. She maintains the assumption that no woman could possibly feel fulfilled raising children. Any caller to the program that tried to defend their choice to stay home and rear the children was met with complete and total disdain! Her arrogance was astounding!

I am truly blessed in that I can work on a schedule that allows me to be home with my child as needed. My son is almost a teen-ager so he is requiring a little more freedom, which allows me more and more time in the office, but I am still home when I am needed there most! Many women do not have that luxury and are thus forced into making the painful decision on whether to work or not. The last thing that these women need is some judgemental self-appointed guardian of feminism assuming to speak for all of us! I needed to work, to help supliment my husband's income and then to replace it (after he was out of work for almost 3 years). There are many things that I missed in those years, things I will never get back. When the opportunity for this job came along, I jumped on it so that I could spend more time with a very important person in my life. I certainly don't need (or appreciate) people like Ms. Hirschman telling me that my choice was wrong, when she has no concept, no clue what my wants, needs and desires are.

I have a couple of words of advice for Ms. Hirschman. Do not assume that what works for you will work for everyone else. If you are happy with your life as it is - great! I am very happy for you. However, what is important for you is not important for me and what is important for me is not important for you. I will refrain from judging your lifestyle choices - how about you do the same for me and the rest of us who choose to stay home with the most precious thing in our lives....our children!