This is a great essay by Erica Jong. I particularly agree that a lot of the attachment parenting philosophy these days leaves out people who have to work to support their families - "You wear your baby, sleep with her and attune yourself totally to her needs. How you do this and also earn the money to keep her is rarely discussed. You are just assumed to be rich enough.". (I am fortunate enough to currently be staying home, and believe me, I know how lucky I am.)
She also brings up the really interesting point that in many other cultures, children are surrounded by extended families who help in their care.
I also really like this quote: "The first wave of feminists, in the 19th century, dreamed of communal kitchens and nurseries. A hundred years later, the closest we have come to those amenities are fast-food franchises that make our children obese and impoverished immigrant nannies who help to raise our kids while their own kids are left at home with grandparents. Our foremothers might be appalled by how little we have transformed the world of motherhood."
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I loved this article, too. I'm kind of hoping there is some sort of -- well, backlash isn't quite the word -- but questioning/examination of the push toward attachment parenting at all costs.
thanks for commenting Kristy (btw I've been a big fan of your blog for a long time!).
I think I get really riled up because this becomes such a class thing. It's easy for people with money to say, "THIS is how you should be doing things", when those things are not feasible for everyone (hence my example of the minimum wage worker mom. When people start to rant about breastfeeding rights, I just think about how fine, the law can state that a woman has the right to pump at work...but try to see how well that works when you work at Wal Mart or McDonalds.) If only all moms could manage to get it together to make everything fair and just for ALL parents... instead of spending their time harping on each other for not doing it "their" way.
Um, ok, getting off my soapbox now. : )
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