Comments on: Mister Mister Mom Mom or Manual Manual Laborer Laborer?

By: doodaddy

doodaddy — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 22:34:43 +0000

Oh, I don’t mind being in boxes. I just want to be in cooler ones. Like “Mr. McHot Dad.” Or “Sir Wittyalot.” Somehow, I never get painted with those stereotypes!

By: Dr. Leah - Transformation Revolution

Dr. Leah - Transformation Revolution — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 03:11:30 +0000

The thing that strikes me is just the whole issue of how the human brain wants to categorize. “Man with child doing ‘domestic’ things” = Mr. Mom. We have these mental boxes or constructs within which we put and keep people. We all do it; it’s just that the constructs oversimplify the complexity and richness of our lives. We end up living inside of or in spite of the boxes we are or are perceive by others to be in. It’s just unfortunate.

It’s like that crap of how “people” (read: my mother) slip and say things like “How nice of Jeff to watch the girls while you went to that conference.” No. He did not “watch” (nor “babysit”) the girls. He parented them while I was out of town.

No one tells me “Wow. It is so great that you’re willing to watch the girls while Jeff went on that trip.” Give me a break. But somehow, it was nice of him to “”"watch”"” (sorry – can’t stand saying the word “watch” without making my displeasure visually evident) his own children????

Back to my point and off of my cranky soap box – The point: I’m really sorry people are putting you into boxes.

By: doodaddy

doodaddy — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 23:59:51 +0000

Thanks!

Um, I guess… what I always wanted to be!

By: Lisa

Lisa — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:23:04 +0000

What makes me smack my forehead with shock and awe is: If you hired a nanny to care for BooBaby and a housekeeper to care for your home, then you got a job taking care of that nanny’s kid and cleaning their house, you’d each be viewed by society as a fine, upstanding ‘worker’. You’d (maybe) get health benefits, social security, etc. But stay at home, do the exact same tasks to raise your own child and all that ‘worker’ stuff gets tossed out the window.

(insert forehead smack here)

By: sugarplumsmom

sugarplumsmom — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 17:40:28 +0000

I don’t trust statistics.. they can be found and bent to back up just about any argument you want to make. You are most certainly a manual laborer.. and a darn good one at that from the pictures you’ve posted.

By: Jessica

Jessica — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 15:56:26 +0000

Amen!

By: Stephen

Stephen — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 15:41:12 +0000

Anyone who would look down on you for what you do…hasn’t been in your shoes. Every time I play Mr. Mom, it’s exhausting!