I just watched today's Oprah. She had on a whole mess of "mommy bloggers" and just straight moms and the star of the new show, In The Motherhood. They were all talking about their experiences as mothers. How no one had told them how hard mothering was going to be, and when they found out, how alone they felt. Most of it was funny, and the usual conversation, for me anyway, when any group of moms gets together, and play who is screwing up their parenting worse.
What I thought was strange was how they all kept saying no one talked about these things. How they felt so alone in their ineptitude. That was not my experience at all. All the moms I know sat around, basically from day one, and said "wow, this is hard. I can't bath, I don't sleep, nursing is difficult, and much much more. I never felt alone in the crappy mom and grooming department.
I don't know where these women live but I'm grateful, it's not in my corner of Los Angeles. I don't think I would have made it without all my girls/moms backing me up. They were everyone from my closest friends to a stranger I happen to sit next to in the sand box.
So make sure you get out there and spread the truth...Motherhood is what it is(and by is what I mean is a hellish gulag of indentured servitude) and showering will just have to wait.
Los Angelista just made an excellent point on twitter, about how they should have turned the conversation from poop to advocacy. You know what might make it easier for mothers, socialized childcare, longer maternity leave and oh about a hundred other things the gov'ts of many other countries provide.
3 comments:
I missed the show, but sounds like I didn't miss much. I agree, from early on I had a great network of moms to commiserate with. All I had to do was attend one breastfeeding group and voila--I had a network!
I didn't catch the show but it sounds like that was a good thing. You're right, the discussion should have been about advocacy and the country as a whole realizing kids are literally the future. Supporting moms desire to stay part of the mainstream and work if they choose is in everyone's best interest.
As for no friends to talk to talk and being confused, really what rock did the have kids under if there was no other person that could relate to them?
I love my Oprah, but this one just missed the mark. Maybe she'll do another that's a little more meaty and in depth. I think ABC just wanted to push the In The Motherhood show.
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