Monday

mommy wars

THIS BOOK is getting a lot of press, and I plan to read it, but may I point out that the same topic was recently covered beautifully in my friend MIRIAM'S BOOK?
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7 comments:

karrie said...

Peskowitz's book is far better, in my opinion. Before I read her book, I was both smug and defensive about being a "SAHM". Silly as it may sound,Peskowitz's book really influenced my way of thinking about motherhood and the issues we all face.

However,I was not moved by the majority essays in Steiner's book. I am not the anonymous Amazon reviewer with the review titled "Repetitive Stories....", but I agree with most of what she has written in her review.

BTW,I noticed Peskowitz has a piece in the summer issue of Brain, Child that arrived this afternoon.

Tuesday, June 13, 2006 at 12:11:00 AM GMT
Anonymous said...

It's the same old invented story.
Regular working moms and stay at home moms who have to make financial sacrifices to stay at home are not at war with each other!

Tuesday, June 13, 2006 at 2:39:00 PM GMT
laura linger said...

Every working mother that I know is far too busy to worry about anything like this tripe. Even the name is demeaning: "Mommy Wars." Why not call it what it is? Class warfare. Gender bias in popular culture. Creating a problem where there really shouldn't be one. Judging each other, instead of embracing each other and working together for the good of children.

I am a work-at-home writer who is not a mother. I'm too occupied with my work to begrudge anyone their lifestyle choices. Such is the case with other SAHMs; my sister has been a mother who has worked out of the home and out of an office. Both situations created very unique circumstances and very real problems...the very last thing that she needed is some judgemental bint telling her that she is a bad mother for going to the office every day. Or not going to an office every day.

I call Bullshit on this one: it smells of a device to sell books. If it is indeed a real problem, it deserves a more serious treatment than that of a pop culture book. I've perused this book at the local store and it doesn't strike me as a definitive treatise on the subject. It does seem like additional garbage to heap upon the already-overloaded shoulders of working mothers...and they are ALL "working mothers."

It's sadly yet another example of why women continue to be treated as second-class citizens in the workplace. While there is sexism still inherent in our society, we women do not help matters by fighting amongst ourselves. In fact, in doing so, we fulfill every single shitty stereotype men hold about women. As long as we fight over "wars" such as the "Mommy Wars," the work doesn't get done. The company doesn't make as much money. The fatcats see women...and mothers, in particular...as liabilities in the workplace. It's not right, but it's accurate.

It's also a disservice to women in the workplace who choose not to have children. The assumption is always made that you have kids. Always.

Thursday, June 15, 2006 at 6:16:00 PM GMT
Anonymous said...

Thank for your comment about childless women in the workplace. I get so sick of the assumption that every woman is a mother. It's hard to find good advice about running a household that isn't based on motherhood.
Maybe I should write my own book about the challenges of working non-motherhood. There are lots of assumptions made about women in my situation, too.

I do support my colleagues at work who have kids by filling in for them when they call in with an emergency. I buy the stuff they get forced to sell through the schools, I ooh and ahh when new pictures appear on their desks, I try not to grouse when they sometimes are forced to bring their kids in to work with them, but I wonder sometimes what else I could do to be supportive.

Monday, June 19, 2006 at 6:43:00 PM GMT
Julie said...

Gee, Laura L., I guess you decided that despite the fact that you find me to be the most annoying, stupid writer on th eplanet, you will still deign to visit my blog and even comment.

Welcome.

I hate the word "bint" by the way. Those nasty childfree people seem to toss it about a lot.

Monday, June 19, 2006 at 7:08:00 PM GMT
Anonymous said...

what's a bint?

Tuesday, June 20, 2006 at 12:22:00 AM GMT
Anonymous said...

"bint" is one of the *nicer* words we toss around.

--a nasty childfree person

Friday, July 7, 2006 at 1:34:00 AM GMT

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