Poshdeluxe

i remember the first time i encountered the idea of a big shot professional working mama. her name was j.c. wiatt, and she was a high powered new york business woman until one day, she received an inheritance… in the form of a baby.

yeah, that’s right, i’m talking about “baby boom.”

i remember LOVING this movie as a kid, cos it featured glitzy new york city and a cute baby and homemade apple sauce which looked DIVINE. at the time, i thought it was perfectly natural that a woman would give up her uber powerful corporate job and retire to a quiet town in vermont to raise her kid and make applesauce.

i mean, obviously, right?

now, of course, i can’t help but wonder if j.c. ever got bored with small town life. what if she missed having an assistant bring her coffee? or making decisions that actually affected more than, say, two people? or walking into a room and having people see her as “that big shot CEO lady” or even just “j.c.” as opposed to “mom”?

jezebel posted two separate entries related to this topic today, one about how difficult it is for moms to juggle jobs and kids (file that under Big Duh Science) and the other about a new policy in britain that gives more maternity leave to mothers but reinforces the idea that women should always be the primary caregiver. uh, i’m guessing “baby boom” made more of a splash in the UK than “mr. mom.”

given the current state of the economy, it seems more and more likely that both parents will have to continue working after they start a family. oh, and don’t even get me started on maternity (or paternity) leave.

it makes me wonder about how i will feel, whenever i have kids (which is far, far into the distant future, let me assure you, unless i randomly inherit a baby like j.c.). what sort of choices will i have? what if i want to stay home but can’t afford it? what if i stay home and suddenly feel, well, like i’m suffocating, because i’ve lost a v. real part of my identity?

when i look back on my childhood, i know i was extremely fortunate to have a mother that was able to hang out with me, 24/7. sure, she took me to mother’s day out for a break now and then, but for the most part, mom was always there, whether i needed a PB & honey sandwich or a narrator for the 367th reading of “blueberries for sal.”

would my childhood have been different if my mom had worked? of course. would it have been worse? i doubt it, considering that my parents are both so amazing.

but would it have been harder on them? certainly. did my mom ever regret staying at home rather than pursuing a career? i don’t think so.

these are all questions that people, parents, have to answer for themselves… then again, financially, sometimes they only have one option.

since i was never a “latch key” kid, i harbor a real curiosity about how parents who both work make time to give their children the love and education they need. i know it’s certainly, definitely possible, but i want to know *how* you do it… without retiring and making gourmet apple sauce for a living.

so, pants world: what do you think is necessary to create a positive and nurturing environment for kids? what lessons did you learn from yr parents, especially with regards to balance?

and, for those of you with kids… or about to have a little one… how did you make these choices, about working or staying home?

of course, if j.c. wiatt was transplanted to 2008, she’d probably just hire four nannies, throw in an adopted kid from a third world country and call it a day.

LINKS

weburbanist is gonna do an eight part series on bansky. and i am v. glad.

the new italian vogue, featuring all black models, is totally awesome. so, tell me, fashion world, why don’t i see any of these fine ladies on the runway?

BWE compiled a list of movies that made more money on their opening weekend than eddie murphy’s latest disaster, “meet dave.” and WOW, “baby geniuses”? really? ok, that’s just sad.

now, the bellas and edwards of the world can find love online thanks to lovebitten.net. you better believe i’m gonna start trolling for spike… (thanks matt for the link).

apparently, it’s now a big trend to take children’s drawings and try to recreate them. so far, though, this guy is my favorite. maybe it’s because i soooo drew that pink princess room. plus, i love the recreation of a child’s perception of tables…

have you guys heard of this blind 5 year-old girl who is, like, a mini mozart? wow.

check out this PB&J mechanical munchie machine!!! uh, can i get a mac & cheese munchie machine? what about one for sweet potato fries? (thanks to moody for the link).

do you guys know what a beguine is? i didn’t, until i read this fascinating article in the times travel section.

jezebel has a clip from one of the greatest eps of “intervention” ever. and by greatest, i mean the best possible marriage of hilarious and depressing.