This Is Why We Have Mommy Wars

I was at a function the other day and sat next to a mother who works full time outside the home.  As we were chatting, she shared this nugget:

"When my kids were younger, I scheduled a camp every single week during the summer for them.  My husband was home, but I couldn't imagine expecting him to do the childcare."

Did you catch that?  The childcare.  

I just stared at her.  She obviously thought she insulted me and proceeded to give me the full palm "stop"  hand gesture and rushed to say, "I completely respect what you do and know you do the most important job, I just couldn't do it."

Now, here's the thing.  She did not insult me.  She stunned me, but did not insult me.

My first gut-emotion when she called being home with the kids "childcare" was sadness.  I feel desperately sad for her and her children.  First, those kids do not get to lay around and rest during the summer.  They go-go-go through the school year and then hit the summer, only to go-go-go some more.  When do they rest?  When do they have a chance to get bored and learn to expand their imaginations?  When do they get to just "be?"  It is hard to "be" when you have a constant schedule.  When do they get to sleep as long as they want?  When do they get to set up a tent in the backyard or stay up all night with a flashlight and a book?  When do they have... summer?

Mostly, I feel sad that this woman honestly does not know the joy of sitting around with her kids and just "being."  Has she ever sat on the couch with the kids and laughed at Spongebob for a couple hours?  That's kinda hard when you're working 60+ hours a week and have the kids in camps all summer.  Does she know the deep satisfaction of a child curling up in her lap and not having to be anywhere but in that moment - for as long as that moment might last?  Has she ever gotten up in the middle of the night with a sick child and been thankful to God that she did not have to be anywhere in the morning, but could nurse her sick one through the night?

As she talked and backpedaled, I added up how much all those camps cost for a couple kids.  They probably spend several thousand dollars by the end of the summer.  Even if I wanted to put my kids in a camp each week, we just do not have the money.

We are a one-income household.  My husband works full time, but I am not bringing in any money.  Being home is not a simple "luxury."  It is a sacrifice.  Our cars are 8 years old.  I do not have a lot of new clothes.  My kids do not have multiple pairs of shoes.  We live on a budget that requires me to cook from scratch for most meals.  

Whether a woman chooses to work outside the home or not is immaterial to me.  How she chooses to view either side of the equation is.  What struck me most was her use of the word "childcare."  When I spoke with my husband about the encounter, he responded with "doesn't she mean child-raising?"

The Mommy Wars do not continue to rage because women have to work, but because some women refuse to see that raising one's own children is not a lesser-than activity.  The mindset that spending time with the kids, getting creative in how to spend that time, is not menial work for the under-educated, but noble work.  Her Freudian Slip gave me a glimpse into her mindset that made me feel sad for her and her kids.  

And she thought she insulted me.

~ G

Word Association

Let's play a game of word association.  Watch the following video about this story and tell me what words come to mind.

 

And... go!

Here, I'll help you:

Cognitive dissonance: This man told a judge he would stop making babies, yet he fathered NINE more babies in three years.  Take a break, buddy.

Vasectomy: Dude, if you can't keep it in your pants and (obviously) eschew the use of condoms, try snipping the cords to the baby-maker.  Try it.  You might like the freedom.

Responsibility: Catch a clue.  You have THIRTY children and yet you have only one job, and clearly have time to hook up with more Baby Mamas.  Try getting more work.  It'll keep you busier - and maybe slightly too tired to make more babies.

And Tennessee Ladies: Please take note of this man's face.  Do NOT assume he's shooting blanks.  Unless you want only $1.50 a month to support your baby, this man is a bad bet.

Did I miss any?

~ G

Enough with the Class Warfare!

Sadly, Carrie Bradshaw Sarah Jessica Parker has gotten into the swing of carrying the bully stick.  I am so beyond sick of the class warfare cry.  Frankly, I prefer the Jon Lovitz style of addressing class warfare.  He was also Hannity last night and said something fantastic.

Yeah, I'm video clip happy right now.  Deal.




 ~ G

Will the Fat Tax Make Us Healthy?

Fat Tax. An extra percentage of money attached to your twinkies, ho hos and soda pop. Raise your hand if you are appalled at the thought of the government being involved in your midnight binges in front of Nick at Night. After you calm down, go get yourself a mocha latte and think about it this way. That extra money (pennies really) could be a key  player in the war against becoming China's bitch. If that tax money is collected and applied to our national debt we could begin to change the dynamics of our economic policy.

Think of all the junk food you as an individual or family buy. Yes - all that fast food, junk food, soda, and crap is making us one fat nation. But do you think people are going to stop buying all of it just because there is a fat tax on it? It is all about personal responsibility - and that responsibility is not affected by pennies. It is affected by emotional attachments to food. Just like the cigarette and alcohol taxes, the fat tax will just be added in to the dollar amount and not even considered as government interference. People may grumble and shake their fists, but they will still buy their twinkies. People will still go to McDonalds. People will not suddenly become slim and healthy because their happy food is taxed.

Ok Liberatarians - what are your thoughts?

~ J

Too Far or Not Far Enough?

Watch the following video, produced by Susan B. Anthony List, and tell me if you think it goes too far:



I gotta tell ya, after getting into a conversation with a liberal who told me I couldn't possibly be pro-life because I am a woman, this video does not go too far.  Since when do all women have to think alike?   Yes, I have a vagina and yes, I am a mother, but that does not mean I am pro-choice and vote Democrat (tuh-tuh).

So tell me.  Does this video go to far for you?  Does it not go far enough?  Why?
Whatcha think?

~  G

My Money Goes Where? Gimme a Refund!

When I think of my tax dollars I like to envision the great American things that are being done with it... libraries, roads, ammo for our kick ass military. What I don't picture is the millions of dollars being sucked out of our budget and paid directly to the pockets of our ex-presidents. Now, I don't begrudge the former presidents'(or their widows) their social security or their medicare. Everyone (at this point and time) is eligible for those programs when they become of age. I don't mind the cost of the Secret Service either. We want them protected. What I have a problem with is the amount of money budgeted every year for phone calls, office staff, travel, office space, postage, and other miscellaneous overhead that should be paid out of their own (rich) pockets - not my (poor) ones.

Don't go thinking I am picking on the Democrats - the Republicans are just as bad. George W is at the top of the list with his request for 1.3 million dollars for 2013. His daddy? He wants $879,000. Clinton requests a smooth Mil for his overhead. And even Jimmy Carter wants his share... at the cost of $500,000.

We owe all this to the Former President's Act of 1958. That sweet deal was brokered so that our Presidents would be taken care of. Hmm. I thought that's what their pensions were for? Who knew we would be paying for staples, postage and paperclips forever. (Mrs. Reagan do you really need 7 grand for postage?).

Don't like it? Utah is spearheading a campaign in Congress to stop our tax dollars from funding these items. But only if the president makes over $400,000 a year. Not ideal, but hey - it's better than just shooting our tax dollars directly to the Office Depot.


~ J

If You Have the Time - This is Worth Watching

Jonah Goldberg sits down with Ginni Thomas for an insightful and educational interview. He answers the following questions:

*If you were in the establishment media, what questions might you ask President Obama?
*Tell us about your new book Discuss the emergence of the “No Labels” crowd.
*Give us a 30,000 feet up perspective on American politics in 2012.
*Discuss the left’s perspective on American exceptionalism.
*Are the tactics of the left hardening and getting more extreme, uncivil?
*What gives you hope?
*Discuss the president’s “fairness” rhetoric and how it divides Americans?
*Wasn’t electing America’s first black president a milestone to celebrate in America?  

 Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2012/05/13/leaders-with-ginni-thomas-jonah-goldberg/#ixzz1uwY0Fcpo

~ G