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Moms Deserve a Break Today

Think before offering 'constructive criticism,' then ... keep it to yourself: Warner

By M. Morris,  Newser Staff

Posted Jun 26, 2009 3:33 PM CDT
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(Newser) – The maternal resentment has evidently been building up for a while, and New York Times blogger Judith Warner is letting loose. She recounts slights perpetrated against her and her friends and wonders: "Why do people so often permit themselves to dump—verbally, emotionally, with a surgically precise ability to wound viscerally—on mothers? And why do we put up with it? "

"I suspect that highly successful working mothers suffer a disproportionate amount of scorn," Warner theorizes. She cites and commiserates with Ayelet Waldman, author of the headline-grabbing book Bad Mother. The condemnation isn't of a piece with "it takes a village" parenting, Warner argues, because however well-meaning, backhanded barbs "make a mother feel condemned in the court of world opinion."

Even well-meaning acquaintances can manage to make a mother feel condemned in the court of world opinion, Judith Warner writes for the New York Times.
Even well-meaning acquaintances can "manage to make a mother feel condemned in the court of world opinion," Judith Warner writes for the New York Times.   (Flickr)
If you have a problem with this baby being exposed to a computer screen, do everyone a favor and don't tell his mom.
If you have a problem with this baby being exposed to a computer screen, do everyone a favor and don't tell his mom.   (Flickr)
I'm quite sure that dads don't get all the little snippets of insult that moms more or less expect will accompany their less-good days, Judith Warner blogs for the New York Times.
"I'm quite sure that dads don't get all the little snippets of insult that moms more or less expect will accompany their less-good days," Judith Warner blogs for the New York Times.   (Flickr)
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COMMENTS
Showing 2 of 2 comments
Mad
Jun 27, 2009 1:37 AM CDT
Women do tend to be their own worse enemy
Nwambe
Jun 26, 2009 11:34 AM CDT
I call bullsh*t. You ever notice that most of the people doing the criticising are mothers themselves?

 
parenting • children • parents • mothers • working mothers • busybodies • Judith Warner • Ayelet Waldman • Bad Mother • women's issues

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