Now that Little Guy is heading to half-day Kindergarten I seem to get the same question wherever I go. "What are you going to do with all of your time?"
Are people really concerned that I will cease to fit through the front door because of spending my days eating bon bons or is this some grand test that women give to each other.
"Gee, I was going to spend all of my free time contemplating world peace while watching reality shoes."
Yes, Little Guy will be in school for three whole hours each day. Enough time to shower, return calls and maybe plan a dinner. Maybe I will take some time for myself (gasp!).
Even if the kids were in school for fifteen hours a day and I wanted to stay home, why should I have to defend that choice to anyone? That is my family's choice.
Funny, not one man has asked me what I was going to do with all of my new found "free time."
When will women step-up and support each other? Whatever decisions we make regrading our decision to stay home, work or something in between are the right decisions for us. Isn't modern feminism all about individual decisions and understanding that other people's decisions might be different from our own?
Just today I decided to turn down a possible job offer. The position was the most perfect job fit for me. An educator at a local children's museum. Unfortunately, the time and money constraints that went along with the job were far from perfect. Ultimately, this job didn't come at the right time.
I was afraid to share the details about the interview with too many people. If I chose to go back to work I might be viewed as abandoning my little one. If I chose to pass on the job I might be viewed as lazy or IQ-challenged. No win.
Here is my call to all of my female readers; Support the women in your life. Whatever her choices are.
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7 comments:
Amen!
Cindy
I encountered that same kind of thing! I've also met people who exclaim "Oh! I just wouldn't know what to do if I didn't work - I'd get so bored!" Really. No hobbies? No friends? No interests other than work? Wow. Sad.
One day these people will realize that there's more to life than making a living.
You go Gruppie!
Half day kindergarten is no different than preschool, time-wise - as you well know.
It's sad that we women are often each other's harshest critics - but perhaps that's always been the case. Maybe we ALL need to eat a few more bon bons, eh?
Thank you ... that was very well written!
Right on!
in the same vein - now that I am a graduate student, people (men too) assume I have SOOOO much time on my hands. And even if I did (which alas I do not) what I do with that time is my choice.
Read with interest your comments in Courant today (9-7-08 Palin's Story is Their Story, Too), so thought I'd check out your blog. I'm a Democrat for Hillary too, but there is absolutely no way I will vote for Obama after what he and the DNC and the media did to her. But what surprised and saddened me was to read your own blog. Look at what you are quoted in the paper as saying vs what you are writing in your blog.
You wrote: "When will women step-up and support each other?" and "Here is my call to all of my female readers; Support the women in your life. Whatever her choices are."
Do you mean, support them as long as they believe exactly what you believe? Or only if you know them personally?
Thank you to all of my loyal readers for the comments and support. All of these questions really had me questioning my choices.
eghughitt~ You bring up a good question.
My original thought regarding supporting women was on a very local level. Neighbors, business owners, friends. That is not to say that I do not try my best to respect and support the choices of all women with my heart, words and pocketbook.
As far as who I will vote for in November, I cannot support a woman, man or monkey who is not pro-woman. I will not allow anyone to dictate what my daughter, my mummy or I do with our bodies.
I would never support any women who could potentially threaten my family's way of life. To be very blunt, choosing a Republican candidate would do so.
I truly believe that the Republican Party only chose Palin because she is a woman. Not for her experience or stellar record of service. They are hoping that women who want to see a woman in the White House will blindly vote for any woman and not necessarily vote with their policy beliefs.
With all of that said, I have made it a policy not to become a political blogger. My skin isn't thick enough.
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