"The Price Of Motherhood"

May 10, 2001 12:44 PM

"The Price Of Motherhood" Ann Crittenden explores the contradictory nature of child-rearing in our society. "The policies of American business, government, and the law do not reflect Americans’ stated values. Across the board, individuals who assume the role of nurturer are punished and discouraged from performing the very tasks that everyone agrees are essential. " Do you agree with Crittenden's assessment? If so, what steps can be taken to find a balance between what's good for society and business and what's good for kids? (Assuming that the two are mutually exclusive.)
posted by Dreama (7 comments total)

If women ran companies instead of rich, old white men, I guarantee there would be major changes. Every corporate boardroom would have an adjacent nursery and every production facility would have a child care facility in house.

Alternatively, if men had to bear children and were the primary care givers, there would be no population explosion, birth control and abortions would be freely available to all and the above mentioned provisions women would provide would also be prevalent throughout the business world.

If you believed what advertisers promote you'd believe all women cared about was the color of their hair. Sometimes the complacency of women to be an active political force would seem to confirm this. Women of the world unite!!
posted by nofundy at 1:18 PM on May 10, 2001

I do think its somewhat alarming that being a full-time parent for a time isn't given more (or any as the case seems to be) weight in hiring. That's, of course, providing they were actually parenting and not sitting on the couch eating chese nips while junior puts a bucket on his head and runs into a wall all day. Although, someone who takes time off from a career as a teacher or banker most likely, I would think, would tend to be an active parent. Maybe one could use their children's grades/attendence records/disciplinary record from school as references on their resume...
posted by srw12 at 1:42 PM on May 10, 2001

...while junior puts a bucket on his head and runs into a wall all day.

some days that's all they're going to do no matter what.

$= time and goods. You either pay, work or buy drawers at walmart instead of vicky's. Your time comes and you make a choice. Did I understand correctly from the article that some feel those who choose to stay home are pushing feminist achievements back 30 years?

And what exactly are Americans' stated values? (I came up Aquinas and Stoics) It's got to be a long list.
posted by auntbunny at 2:39 PM on May 10, 2001

Waaa waaa waaa. "...if women ran company's instead of rich white men..." ? Well, if that's the case, women should go out and put in the time and effort to be the darn CEO! The simple fact is that, for whatever reason, women seem to be more willing than men to choose family over work. Hence, men become CEO's, while mothers... are mothers. It's a choice. The worst disservice ever done to women in the name of equality was convincing so many women that they could have it all - a rewarding career, the joys of motherhood, long days with nothing to do but read and nap, great looking guys who want to cuddle all the time, and fresh squeezed orange juice every morning. Well, here's a flash, ladies: you can't have it all. NO ONE GETS IT ALL. If you want to be CEO, you'll have to sacrifice the joys of motherhood; if you want to be mom of the year, you have to sacrifice your high-salary executive job.

There is nothing wrong, or shameful, or dishonorable, about being a mother. That is a fallacy that working women promulgate and mothers believe. But, there is also very little about motherhood that has anything to do with being a good CEO, regardless of all the "all I need to know about life I learned from my cocker spaniel" posters.

Life is full of choices. Some of them are hard. Whining about the unfairness of it doesn't help. Get over yourselves.
posted by UncleFes at 2:43 PM on May 10, 2001

I don't know, UncleFes. Having been in both positions, if I were given the choice between negotiating a labour agreement with workers who are threatening to strike and negotiating the 927th "You're a poopy head!" "No, you're a poopy head!" argument of the week, I know which I'd choose. But there are very valuable skills learned and honed from full-time parenting that can have application in the workplace. If more hiring managers would bother to recognise that, the transition back into the workforce would be much smoother for a lot of people.
posted by Dreama at 2:55 PM on May 10, 2001

Hey Fes, nofundy said WOMEN, not MOTHERS. So you rambling was just that much more pointless.
posted by Doug at 3:08 PM on May 10, 2001

Doug: Pointlessness is my mode and modus. I actually meant to say MUTHAS, not MOTHERS.
posted by UncleFes at 3:34 PM on May 10, 2001