Comments on: Parenthood isn’t always rainbows and unicorns.

By: Maya Norton

Maya Norton — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:47:35 +0000

Your comment was right on– that’s why I’m here.

No question it was an overreaction to publish a piece condemning him publicly to your 33,000+ subscribers and myriad of other readers– especially when this post has been picked up everywhere.

But that’s not the point. The point is that the discourse of he said, she said– not the actual conversation, but what it means to women, men, and families. Aside from the blasting, PT did cite some interesting material and research that should give people pause for thought.

I’m reading through all this because I’m a SAHM become I love it (yes, love it), but am trying to decide what to do with multiple job offers, making this already tough decision additionally challenging because of the difficult economy.

~ Maya
@mayanorton

By: Jenn

Jenn — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 22:19:38 +0000

@Tehya: Your comment had me laughing my ass off, because I can relate in so many ways.

By: Angela

Angela — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 20:53:49 +0000

That is what I would call an immature handling of one little rude comment at its best.

By: Tehya

Tehya — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 19:59:05 +0000

Seriously way overboard reaction. His comment would have been something that I would have ignored. It really was not worth getting so hot and bothered over. In my experience parentng 24/7 is all rainbows and unicorns… Unicorns come in the form of matchbox cars that like to hide under mats and under sofa cushions,so when you sit/stand on them they stick in places that you really don’t care to mention. Rainbows? OH rainbows yeah they are really purdy when they come only in the colour brown and even better when the pretty colours come with a free three year old wearing them. That doesn’t bother me that they are copic permanent colouring marks that cost me over $150.00.. no. It’s even more fun trying to scrub those pretty colours off a screamy,wiggly three year old without injuring him. Plus the two year old stands at the bathroom door screaming at the top of his lungs in sympathy. And I just adore dressing and re-dressing the said two year old 5,000 times a day- my day would not be complete without that ritual.
My life is happy ,skippy,happy all day long. I chose psychosis75 for that exact reason ..75 is my house number the other being my happy skippy little world that I like to inhabit.
I’ll just go and blog a 5,000 word diatribe at the next person who throws an innocuous comment my way-any takers? :p

By: Ashleigh

Ashleigh — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 17:41:28 +0000

I don’t think that she was wrong in writing a blog about the situation. I mean, that is what blogs are for; an outlet to vent your frustrations or exclaim you excitements. But I definitely think that she was wrong in posting his full name and location. She willingly posted a comment about herself and her opinion on a public forum, which gives him the access to post his comments in return. Even with the fact that his comment was brainless and insensitive, it wasn’t harrasing or invading her privacy, so it really doesn’t give her the right to invade his personal offline privacy.
That thought aside, I want to say that I can only imagine that parenting 24/7 is probably no picnic. My sister and I were raised by a stay-at-home mom who also happened to be single with no-one to turn to for extra support and I have come to have the upmost respect for other mothers who do this. It is a thankless job and one of the hardest out there. Other people may dispute my claim that a stay-at-home mom is not a job but I disagree. It is in fact many jobs all rolled into one. You are a maid, a chef, a chauffer, a teacher, a nurse and on top of all that you also have to run your household and cater to your significant other when they return from their “jobs”. And I can only imagine that the daily routine would probably become inane and boring after awhile.
So I can empathize about how she felt when she posted the comment and then received comments about how she is a bad mother because she doesn’t love spending every second she can with her children. That is ludicrous. No one person would enjoy spending every second of their lives with other people, even if those other people are family.
It always amazes me how other people always think that they can do a better job than you can when it comes to dealing with children. Kinda like how the majority of self-help books for parents are written by people who don’t have any children of their own. Ironic?