Tuesday, September 19, 2006

MORE ON WORKING PARENTS

It's after 7:00pm and here I am, still at work, and not yet sure when I'll be home.

I'm covering the president of Iran's speech to the United Nations, which is slated to begin any moment now. At home, my kids have already had their dinner and their dad is hopefully getting at least the little one ready for bed.

While waiting for the speech to begin, I've busied myself by reading the online discussion that T. mentions below. I would share the link, but it's a TV biz site and a lot of it is only accessible by subscription.

It's ironic that I'm reading this forum tonight, because it raises the question of whether motherhood and working in the TV news business (with its' notoriously irregular hours) are compatible. A newly pregnant reporter -- a self-proclaimed go-getter -- started the discussion by asking the question "HOW DO Y'ALL DO IT?"

A father whose wife is a stay-at-home mom offered this advice: quit work and raise kids the "right" way by staying home with them. He also characterized "daycare kids" as "completely disorganized" and said he could "spot them a mile away."

Needless to say, his comments initiated a heated exchange. Some working moms retorted that their kids were more well-adjusted and verbal than those of stay-at-home mothers. Others were so infuriated by this man's comments they resorted to name-calling.

No matter which side they're on, it seems to me these parents are simply defending their child-rearing choices. How could they not? One goes down a certain path and crosses their fingers that they've made the right decision for their kids and their families...and when that decision is questioned you have no choice but to defend it.

I know I've done the same thing.

V.

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