Comments on: What’s the problem? http://www.workingmomsbreak.com For moms who can do it all, but wonder why they should. Fri, 18 May 2012 04:00:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Amy in Texas http://www.workingmomsbreak.com/just-the-facts/comment-page-1/#comment-11351 Amy in Texas Sat, 19 Nov 2011 15:20:08 +0000 http://workingmomsbreak.com/just-the-facts/#comment-11351 Working and raising kids can't be made easier by legislation, because the legislation didn't cause the problem. When women are forced to raise the children and earn the money that makes for a miserable life a lot of the time. I raise two kids and log 50+ hours at my job. The father's pitiful contribution really don't add up to kind of help for us, just the occasional Disneyland thrill and a sense of loss, alternating. When American society gave men a pass out of marriage it was the doom of women. Not for "marriage" but for the kids. Some men do stick around and actually help and see the children, but in my experience (everyone I know, and hundreds my students families over the years) it's not that often. It's admirable that you are advocating for a more "family friendly" workplace, but that's not the answer to women's struggle to do it all. The women shoulder the responsibility and the men go off to do their thing. Working and raising kids can’t be made easier by legislation, because the legislation didn’t cause the problem.
When women are forced to raise the children and earn the money that makes for a miserable life a lot of the time.
I raise two kids and log 50+ hours at my job. The father’s pitiful contribution really don’t add up to kind of help for us, just the occasional Disneyland thrill and a sense of loss, alternating.
When American society gave men a pass out of marriage it was the doom of women. Not for “marriage” but for the kids.
Some men do stick around and actually help and see the children, but in my experience (everyone I know, and hundreds my students families over the years) it’s not that often.
It’s admirable that you are advocating for a more “family friendly” workplace, but that’s not the answer to women’s struggle to do it all.
The women shoulder the responsibility and the men go off to do their thing.

]]> By: Ashley Boyd http://www.workingmomsbreak.com/just-the-facts/comment-page-1/#comment-4137 Ashley Boyd Tue, 19 Apr 2011 20:41:58 +0000 http://workingmomsbreak.com/just-the-facts/#comment-4137 Hi Leslie -- I work with MomsRising. If you want to email me directly to ashley at momsrising.org, I could suggest some more direct action ways to get involved. So many of us are tired about sitting with the anger and hopelessness too. Take care! Hi Leslie — I work with MomsRising. If you want to email me directly to ashley at momsrising.org, I could suggest some more direct action ways to get involved. So many of us are tired about sitting with the anger and hopelessness too. Take care!

]]> By: Is two working parents a | Working Moms Break http://www.workingmomsbreak.com/just-the-facts/comment-page-1/#comment-2954 Is two working parents a | Working Moms Break Mon, 31 Jan 2011 15:54:30 +0000 http://workingmomsbreak.com/just-the-facts/#comment-2954 [...] What’s the problem? [...] [...] What’s the problem? [...]

]]> By: Leslie http://www.workingmomsbreak.com/just-the-facts/comment-page-1/#comment-810 Leslie Fri, 02 Jul 2010 13:36:47 +0000 http://workingmomsbreak.com/just-the-facts/#comment-810 I just found your blog through MomsRising.org, and I think it's wonderful. I see the problem and feel the weight of it every single day. What I want to know is how do I become part of the solution? I honestly don't know. But I'm tired of sitting around being angry about it... I'd like to take action (beyond signing online petitions). I just found your blog through MomsRising.org, and I think it’s wonderful. I see the problem and feel the weight of it every single day. What I want to know is how do I become part of the solution? I honestly don’t know. But I’m tired of sitting around being angry about it… I’d like to take action (beyond signing online petitions).

]]> By: Katrina http://www.workingmomsbreak.com/just-the-facts/comment-page-1/#comment-716 Katrina Thu, 10 Jun 2010 17:57:59 +0000 http://workingmomsbreak.com/just-the-facts/#comment-716 Thank you! I wish I could post all the emails people have sent describing their own variation of the same story. It's incredibly validating to know how many people are experiencing the same struggle. Thank you! I wish I could post all the emails people have sent describing their own variation of the same story. It’s incredibly validating to know how many people are experiencing the same struggle.

]]> By: RandomChick http://www.workingmomsbreak.com/just-the-facts/comment-page-1/#comment-715 RandomChick Thu, 10 Jun 2010 17:51:14 +0000 http://workingmomsbreak.com/just-the-facts/#comment-715 THANK YOU! I just read your story over at the Huffington Post. You just told MY STORY almost EXACTLY. I'm still on Paxil and trying to get off. I, too, had panic attacks and am trying to work, raise two small children, keep my marriage in tact, pay my mortgage, and make a difference in this world. I CAN do it all! But do I really want to??? I'm still figuring that one out. BUT THANK YOU AGAIN!!! THANK YOU! I just read your story over at the Huffington Post. You just told MY STORY almost EXACTLY. I’m still on Paxil and trying to get off. I, too, had panic attacks and am trying to work, raise two small children, keep my marriage in tact, pay my mortgage, and make a difference in this world. I CAN do it all! But do I really want to??? I’m still figuring that one out. BUT THANK YOU AGAIN!!!

]]> By: Katrina http://www.workingmomsbreak.com/just-the-facts/comment-page-1/#comment-7 Katrina Thu, 25 Mar 2010 02:34:56 +0000 http://workingmomsbreak.com/just-the-facts/#comment-7 Oh, I'm glad you found the site. I'll be posting the audio from the radio interview tomorrow morning. I love that you added "citizen" and "social lite" to your list. I relate, I relate, I relate... Oh, I’m glad you found the site. I’ll be posting the audio from the radio interview tomorrow morning.

I love that you added “citizen” and “social lite” to your list. I relate, I relate, I relate…

]]> By: Jennifer http://www.workingmomsbreak.com/just-the-facts/comment-page-1/#comment-6 Jennifer Wed, 24 Mar 2010 18:55:43 +0000 http://workingmomsbreak.com/just-the-facts/#comment-6 Hi - I heard about your blog on Kim Iverson last night. I will be checking it out and looking for inspiration or at least insight into how others cope. I fight myself constently, I must be a good worker, mother, wife, friend, daughter, citizen, play group mommy, social lite, housekeeper...I could probably keep going. The only thing that does get me through are smiles in the morning and at night from my daughter and three time a week I get to workout or go to yoga. Keep up the articles! Thanks! Jennifer Hi – I heard about your blog on Kim Iverson last night. I will be checking it out and looking for inspiration or at least insight into how others cope. I fight myself constently, I must be a good worker, mother, wife, friend, daughter, citizen, play group mommy, social lite, housekeeper…I could probably keep going. The only thing that does get me through are smiles in the morning and at night from my daughter and three time a week I get to workout or go to yoga.

Keep up the articles!

Thanks!
Jennifer

]]> By: Katrina http://www.workingmomsbreak.com/just-the-facts/comment-page-1/#comment-4 Katrina Tue, 16 Mar 2010 03:15:35 +0000 http://workingmomsbreak.com/just-the-facts/#comment-4 So sorry to bum you out. It's a tough transition you're going through. There are some great organizations doing important work to address these issues at every level (government, workplace, culture shifts, etc.). Momsrising.org is one of them. So sorry to bum you out. It’s a tough transition you’re going through.

There are some great organizations doing important work to address these issues at every level (government, workplace, culture shifts, etc.). Momsrising.org is one of them.

]]> By: Lisa Rhode http://www.workingmomsbreak.com/just-the-facts/comment-page-1/#comment-5 Lisa Rhode Mon, 15 Mar 2010 23:03:10 +0000 http://workingmomsbreak.com/just-the-facts/#comment-5 Hi Katrina-- Ros just sent me the link to your blog and I'm all over it! I know virtually nothing about the world of blogging and have avoided it as yet another way to feed my addiction to the endless time-sucking internet abyss, but your blog is just too good to resist. :-) For what it's worth, I have thought about this issue a lot and am struggling with my own version of it-- first, as a single mother of young twins (age 5) and second, as someone who loves my career and doesn't want to give it up entirely, which the "radical homemaker" approach seems to entail.... Having said that, I really should read the book before making that assumption, shouldn't I?! Also, while I admire the "radical homemakers," I fear that it is to some extent a "micro" solution to a "macro" problem, and I'm more interested in policy solutions. Once again, I need to read the book! And of course, like most things, it's not an either/or situation.... just from a quick glance at momsrising.com, I can see there are others pursuing policy solutions as well. So I'll add that website to my reading list as well... see what you've done! Well, this was more than I intended to write, but the bottom line is: YOU GO GIRL! You are so dead on and yes, I too believe that this is where some of the deepest social change will come from. Lisa P.S. I just left a high-paying professional job in San Francisco that I loved and moved to Ashland, Oregon, because I couldn't sustain the cost of living there-- and by that I mean not only the financial cost of living, but the cost to my health and well-being, and the cost to my children and to being the kind of mother I wanted to be. Just fyi :-) Hi Katrina–

Ros just sent me the link to your blog and I’m all over it! I know virtually nothing about the world of blogging and have avoided it as yet another way to feed my addiction to the endless time-sucking internet abyss, but your blog is just too good to resist. :-)

For what it’s worth, I have thought about this issue a lot and am struggling with my own version of it– first, as a single mother of young twins (age 5) and second, as someone who loves my career and doesn’t want to give it up entirely, which the “radical homemaker” approach seems to entail…. Having said that, I really should read the book before making that assumption, shouldn’t I?!

Also, while I admire the “radical homemakers,” I fear that it is to some extent a “micro” solution to a “macro” problem, and I’m more interested in policy solutions. Once again, I need to read the book! And of course, like most things, it’s not an either/or situation…. just from a quick glance at momsrising.com, I can see there are others pursuing policy solutions as well. So I’ll add that website to my reading list as well… see what you’ve done!

Well, this was more than I intended to write, but the bottom line is: YOU GO GIRL! You are so dead on and yes, I too believe that this is where some of the deepest social change will come from.

Lisa

P.S. I just left a high-paying professional job in San Francisco that I loved and moved to Ashland, Oregon, because I couldn’t sustain the cost of living there– and by that I mean not only the financial cost of living, but the cost to my health and well-being, and the cost to my children and to being the kind of mother I wanted to be. Just fyi :-)

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