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Watching and Reading Between the Lines

Watching Ms. Warner on TV in an interview was a little surprising. It's hard to watch an interview with a woman, or anyone, knowing that they have less appeal to women like myself, who have cut their careers short, to stay at home to raise their children and are perfectly comfortable and happy with the decision. But even if I were still trying to do it all, I think this book and author, would turn me against whiners simply because there's more "poor me" self-consumed I COULD DO IT ALL IF YOU WOULD JUST HELP ME pity-potty scenario.

Women who are in the lime light who all of a sudden face motherhood without constant help, back pay of some sort, or even a scheduled day, as what appears to be the case, leaves little to the imagination of how to parent with a hands-on-real-time approach. In other words, good for moms in Paris, now get on with real motherhood here.

Her interviews, like her book, sounds more like a simple monotone whining session of what many of us as well as our own moms have struggled with for years.

IT'S HARD WORK TO STAY AT HOME AND MAKE CHOICES THAT REFLECT THE BEST OPTIONS FOR OUR FAMILY AND OURSELVES.

Yes, motherhood is very stressful, especially if you are brave enough to do it all on your own without nannies or any other hired help.

Women have been saying this for years. Judith Warner's book has not an ounce of new information that hasn't already been said and there's still not any concrete plans in place to help with better pregnancy leaves, insurance, hospital costs associated with pregnancies, leave of absence for parenting extensions for dads, step-parents or even foster parents.

I am grateful on one level that someone else who might have friends in higher places has taken the time to write about something that we have faced for all too long. However, within the same breath, the author has very little solutions to offer, or that someone else has not already suggested, so what's the point?

OK, we get it, it's a rat race here in America, so deal with it, make some changes or go back to Paris.

Let's squash the PERFECT CHILD SYNDROME AND THE PERFECT MOM storybook theme, and get on to our work at hand, finding the best way to be a REAL mom without all of the competition.

Also recommended: Mommy CEO, by Jodie Lynn