From: 01sybok@ac.dal.ca
Newsgroups: alt.fan.dan-quayle
Subject: Re: If Marilyn has only one life to live...
Date: 19 Nov 92 15:21:03 GMT
Organization: Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

In article <1992Nov16.214948.24592@s1.gov>, lip@s1.gov (Loren I. Petrich) writes:
> In article <92317.212906KEL111@psuvm.psu.edu> Kurt Ludwick <KEL111@psuvm.psu.edu> writes:
>>In article <1992Nov12.140144.2505@gvl.unisys.com>, train@gvls2.gvl.unisys.com
>>(Herbert Rutledge) says:
>>
> 
> 	Even if what that _was_ what she meant, she should not have
> slurred any woman who derives any satisfaction out of being something
> other than a glorified nursemaid.


Ignoring the rest of the article, I have to take exception to this 
characterization of mothers. Now, I'm a Canuck, and I quite frankly don't
care for American politics (I read this group for a laugh at Quayl). 

I know a lot of mothers (mine included) who decided their children's
needs were more important than their own, and who decided to sacrifice
their career for the sake of the children. Maybe the fathers in these
families should have made that sacrifice instead of the mothers, but the fact 
is they didn't.

As  a direct result of my mother's decision (in my case) there was always
one parent around when I needed someone. I really think the presence of
a parent (not just an adult like a daycare worker, nursemaid, nanny or 
whatever) is what a child needs. By "parent" I mean either father OR mother.
I think that in a lot of cases where friends of mine wound up with serious
emotional problems, part of the blame had to be placed at the feet of the 
parents, who were too wrapped up in the concerns of themselves rather than
their own children. 

I think a lot of the problems in the world today can in fact be traced to
the irresponsibility of parents. Fathers running out on their kids, parents
(both) who are too wrapped up in things like work to really notice their
kids, stuff like that. I suppose this makes me soud like a Dan Quayl 
Republican (GAK!), but the truth is, I think most parents these days don't
care for their kids as much as they should. Please note this does NOT mean
I think all women should stay at home and look after the kids, nor do I think
a woman is denying part of her womanhood when she goes out to work, nor do I 
think all two career families ignore their kids, nor do I think a single
parent family is inherently evil. I DO think that BOTH parents in a family 
should think long and hard before having kids, and I think those that have kids
should think about where the kids fit in their lives. Getting back to my 
original point, I think that women who decide to stay at home and make sure the 
being(s) they brought into the world matter more to them than that second home
in the country, or that second BMW have made a choice, and they deserve better
than to be derided as "glorified nursemaids" just as single mothers (who
clearly have no choice but to work) deserve our applause and support for
working AND raising the kids.

It's just a thought. I appreciate the sacrifice an ambitious, intellegent
woman like my mother made in making sure I was properly cared for, and
I don't appreciate people belittling that choice.

Mike
Newsgroups: alt.fan.dan-quayle,alt.politics.elections,talk.politics.misc