Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site dartvax.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!zehntel!dual!amdcad!decwrl!decvax!dartvax!betsy From: betsy@dartvax.UUCP (Betsy Hanes Perry) Newsgroups: net.kids Subject: Re: Mother needs no excuse Message-ID: <2610@dartvax.UUCP> Date: Mon, 3-Dec-84 16:39:16 EST Article-I.D.: dartvax.2610 Posted: Mon Dec 3 16:39:16 1984 Date-Received: Wed, 5-Dec-84 00:45:32 EST References: <119@osu-eddie.UUCP>, <4177@cbscc.UUCP> <10077@watmath.UUCP> <179@harvard.ARPA> Organization: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH Lines: 34 > > Sophie Quigley: > > If the parents don't enjoy parenting > > or enjoy it, but couldn't stand doing it on a full time basis, then the > > children are probably better off in daycare. > > Marie Desjardins: > if the parents don't enjoy parenting or enjoy it, but couldn't stand > doing it on a full time basis, then everyone is probably better off if > they don't have children. > Whooa, Jessie! Have you ever spent twelve hours alone with a toddler? I have friends who do. It's mind-numbing work. Rewarding,often, but two-year-olds just can't provide much in the way of intellectual conversation. "Yes, Mommy, I liked Sartre's defense of suicide a lot. NOW can I have a cooky?" Women (and men!) shouldn't be condemned for wanting to spend part of their time away from their children. It doesn't make you an unfit parent to prefer to spend some time with adults discussing your chosen career. My parents both worked full-time; I don't feel damaged. In fact, I think I was better off with half of a happy, contented mother's time than I would have been with all of a bored, trapped mother. (I'm not claiming that all housemothers are unhappy, merely that mine was.) What I'm trying to say is that no one lifestyle is right for everybody. I oppose forced daycare *and* forced mothercare; different strokes for different folks. -- Elizabeth Hanes Perry UUCP: {decvax|linus|cornell}!dartvax!betsy CSNET: betsy@dartmouth ARPA: betsy%dartmouth@csnet-relay