April 12, 2004

To work or not to work, that is the question ...
Posted by diane@downtownwomensclub.com">Diane Danielson at 12:45 PM -

For some maybe. But for the rest of us it's not really a relevant question (either fiscally or mentally). However, the latest book weighing in on the topic is nicely summarized by Cathy Young in today's Globe editorial, Rebalancing work and motherhood.

["Maternal Desire: On Children, Love, and the Inner Life" by Daphne de Marneffe] does not paint a rosy, Hallmark-greeting-card picture of motherhood or shy away from its more frustrating aspects. But the author chafes at the not-uncommon feminist assumption that women who stay home have been merely guilt-tripped into giving up their own lives for domestic misery. Often, she points out, it's working women -- even ones who love their jobs -- who feel terrible when they have to leave their children.

De Marneffe may have tried to address both sides of the issues in her book, but she appears to be taking more of an "either/or", "all or nothing" stance. As Young rightly points out at the end of the article, it's more about "striving toward equality while recognizing reality, and seeking the best possible balance."

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