The Proper Care & Feeding of Husbands

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-06-2003
The Proper Care & Feeding of Husbands
1731
Wed, 07-11-2007 - 6:29pm

I recently read "The Proper Care & Feeding of Relationships" by Dr. Laura Schlessinger and was surprised to find I agreed with much of what she said in the book...so I returned to the library to borrow "The Proper Care & Feeding of Husbands" and again...I find I agree with most of what she writes. I would have scoffed at the titles alone 12 years ago when I was married, working up the corporate ladder with my 2 year old in dc full time from 11 months on. I thought I had it all.

I ended up divorced and now the 2 year old is 14 and I realized recently how fast she is growing up and that I really missed a lot of time with her and my husband by choice(working).

I am remarried and 3 yrs ago our son was born. I returned to work when he was 10 months and found what I think is the best dayhome I could have...they were amazing and very loving. Our family is very close with them now....I was working(primary breadwinner) and couldn't shake the feeling that I was putting my career ahead of my family when my family is monumentally more important to me than the money I was bringing in. We COULD change our situation to enable me to be at home...so we did and I now wonder why any mother who is emotionally healthy and does not *have* to work for the family to get by....doesn't stay at home? I am not meaning that disrespectfully or sarcastically as I myself did not make that choice with myt first. I resigned 9 months ago. I am proud to be at home even though I wasn't with my first(which I now regret but didn't think I would!). I am proud to send my husband off to work with hot coffee and a lunch I made that always includes homebaked treats....welcome him home to a clean home and wonderful meal...spend my days teaching my son and playing with him; treasuring it sincerely...and being here for my 14 year old daughter whether she needs me to yell at; or hug and talk...or just to stop her from sitting on the computer all day or getting into mischief.

To give you the tone of the books I will give you a couple of excerpts;

"The issue of "roles" in a marriage and family is often a sensitive one. Stay-at-home moms as well as hardworking primary-breadwinner men are not given much respect from our society-at-large. Feminist educators and activists keep trying to squeeze men and women into niches that may simply not be a good match for their innate qualites...as well as their masculine and feminine drives. It is more in the female nature to nest and nurture. It is more in the male nature to conquer and protect. Frankly, the more we ignore the true, inherent masculine and feminine qualites of people, the farther apart we pull them."

"...feminism has brainwashed women to believe that all men are inconsiderate beasts you can't rely on. Therefore, the threat goes, never give up your independence. This mentality has confsed and frightened women into an avoidance of becoming dependant on their men. To protect themselves, women ferociously parry with their men, while denigrating their own desires to tend the home and raise children. Then they call me all angry and depressed... nd they think it is because of their husbands."

So...what do you think?

*edit to correct a typo




Edited 7/11/2007 7:57 pm ET by hi_kimmie

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iVillage Member
Registered: 06-27-1998
Wed, 07-18-2007 - 4:17pm

No.

PumpkinAngel

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-27-1998
Wed, 07-18-2007 - 4:18pm

Again, that is choosing to collect disability benefits, not choosing to be disabled.


PumpkinAngel

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-10-2007
Wed, 07-18-2007 - 4:18pm
when my selective amnesia returns I'll let you know! lol
he chose to pursue the disability title, if you may, when he made a choice to go that route.
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-27-1998
Wed, 07-18-2007 - 4:21pm

Again, that is choosing to collect disability benefits, not choosing to be disabled.


PumpkinAngel

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-10-2007
Wed, 07-18-2007 - 4:22pm
I don't know if he chose to be injured. I've said that already.
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-10-2007
Wed, 07-18-2007 - 4:23pm
why did you ask of financial difficulties at the end of the question?
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-10-2007
Wed, 07-18-2007 - 4:24pm
as I've stated ad nauseum, he chose to get coined as disabled. he could have sucked it up and stayed at work.
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-10-2007
Wed, 07-18-2007 - 4:25pm
he chose to be disabled. if he didn't, he would be at work right about now.
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-08-2001
Wed, 07-18-2007 - 4:30pm
That should end the debate right there. You don't know if he chose to be injured, therefore you don't know that he chose to become disabled.

Mary



Mom to Kevin 11/4/03



Everyone should have kids. They are the greatest joy in the world. But they are also terrorists. You'll realize this as soon as they are born, and they start using sleep deprivation to break you.



Ray Romano, actor/comedian

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-10-2007
Wed, 07-18-2007 - 4:30pm
Must go again. family and I are going out to dinner. one shouldn't neglect themselves, they need sustenance. no starbucks for me though.

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