Thank you for so clearly communicating how I felt reading this book!! It felt a lot like how to make the best of a shit situation that we’re stuck with because capitalist patriarchy. Which, like you said, isn’t wholly bad - I enjoyed the self discovery ideas she has about how to think about where you want to carve out learning and growth for yourself. But we need wholesale structural changes that allow for pauses and shifts for all parents, not just moms.
I had forgotten about Unfinished Business, so thank you for the reminder. Adding to my TBR for a re-read.
The following quote you cited from the book really struck me, as it is what I have been dwelling on a lot as I turn 50 this year.
“Don’t say—don’t even think—‘I’m just a mom.’ Motherhood is intellectual and emotional work that demands creativity, organization, communication, empathy, and more.”
As someone who was a marketing professional for 13 years before calling it quits forever, and not just for a pause, I still struggle 14 years post "working" to describe to others what I do for a living.
I hate saying "stay at home mom."
I hate saying "family COO."
I hate saying "works inside the home."
I hate saying "homemaker."
While all of these descriptions are somewhat true, none of them make me feel good about my chosen profession as a mother and the primary executor of our family life.
So what DO we call ourselves - those of us who do all the things, but don't earn a paycheck?
Thank you for so clearly communicating how I felt reading this book!! It felt a lot like how to make the best of a shit situation that we’re stuck with because capitalist patriarchy. Which, like you said, isn’t wholly bad - I enjoyed the self discovery ideas she has about how to think about where you want to carve out learning and growth for yourself. But we need wholesale structural changes that allow for pauses and shifts for all parents, not just moms.
I had forgotten about Unfinished Business, so thank you for the reminder. Adding to my TBR for a re-read.
THANK YOU and bravo on this particular WLAM post.
The following quote you cited from the book really struck me, as it is what I have been dwelling on a lot as I turn 50 this year.
“Don’t say—don’t even think—‘I’m just a mom.’ Motherhood is intellectual and emotional work that demands creativity, organization, communication, empathy, and more.”
As someone who was a marketing professional for 13 years before calling it quits forever, and not just for a pause, I still struggle 14 years post "working" to describe to others what I do for a living.
I hate saying "stay at home mom."
I hate saying "family COO."
I hate saying "works inside the home."
I hate saying "homemaker."
While all of these descriptions are somewhat true, none of them make me feel good about my chosen profession as a mother and the primary executor of our family life.
So what DO we call ourselves - those of us who do all the things, but don't earn a paycheck?