The Quest for Perfection

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The Love Council on Mar 16, 2005 at 3:27AM

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The Quest for Perfection

There is a nationwide epidemic of "mommy madness," according to the new best-seller Perfect Madness: Motherhood in the Age of Anxiety by Judith Warner. Described as a quest to be a perfect mother, mommy madness exhibits itself in the hectic, everyday lives of mothers who shuttle their kids to and from activities, classes and play dates. They are so depleted by the affection they lavish upon their small children that they have no energy left, not just for sex but for emotional intimacy as well.

We wanted to take a look at how couples are affected by this phenomenon of perfectionism. So we asked our panel of experts, the Love Council, to weigh in: How does "mommy madness" affect marriage, and what can women do to bring the focus back to that other important relationship ‑- the one between husband and wife? Here's what they had to say.