Good week article 3989

Irrational Number different

Yes and no. I went to the top undergraduate university in Canada, and on scholarship. Incidentally, the quality of education I received there far surpbutted that of my graduate school. I went all the way through school in a rural community, with basic (but good) education available. I did piano lessons and sang in choir, but that was the full extent of my "roundedness" as indicated by organized extra curricular activities. I had other experiences, such being involved in human rights work in high school, but this was my own incentive and was not buttociated with the school. I also took two years off after high school, one to go as an exchange student to Brazil, and one to work as a waitress in a truck stop diner to make money to pay for university (didn't know about the scholarship). I finished my BA with the highest overall average in the faculty of Arts, beating out a great number of kids who not only had all the enrichment money could buy, but many of whom also had an entire year more of high school (Ontario's Grade 13, or whatever they call it these days).

My point is that enrichment and well-roundedness come from all kinds of sources, and my parents certainly provided loads of it, as well as an understanding of the value of self improvement, without it becoming the nightmare of scheduled activities described by the article's author. Plus, I think with all the rushing and pressure and diversification, kids are ending up "jack of all trades, master of none" in many cases. It's lip service rather than actual enrichment.

As if with

Moms doing this are setting themselves up for a martyr complex, IMO. It becomes all about who's going to appreciate what they've done, will it be adequately appreciated, etc, etc, and we know the kids don't really care! I read this funky book, written in the '60s, called "The I Hate to Housekeep Book." At one point the author remarked that keeping an immaculately clean house had nothing to do with popularity or respect from others. She said, nobody in history has every said, "I just love Marjorie! She keeps such a neat house!" I'm pretty sure the same goes for parenting - nobody is going to like you better for being "perfect."

Amen. It's easy for me, though to say that, because I'm at home, and happy to have the opportunity to *be* at home, so my job includes housework, shopping, cooking, childcare, and I get loads of support and respect for that. Dh helps out as much as he can, and he also works full time. He's great with ds, and although sometimes he won't know why I get brand x versus brand y, or will pick up the wrong z at the grocery store, I don't consider that incompetence. He's doing his best to help and support me in my job, even though he also works long hours at his.

But, it's a different story for women who, like their husbands, are working full time and are still doing all the cooking, cleaning, etc. That would be frustrating.

Melania Mom to Joffre (Jan 11, 2003) and #2 (edd May 21, 2005)