To Hell with All That…

I just finished reading To Hell with All That: Loving and Loathing Our Inner Housewife by Caitlin Flanagan. I have mixed feelings on whether I should suggest this book as a good read or not. Flanagan basically walks the reader through points in American history where the views of what a housewife is and what it means to be a housewife, and how things have changed. At points I was completely bored, because I don’t really care why things changed. She explores the feminist movement and the consequent results. Maybe during these sections my heart was just not really in the book.

At other times though, my neighbors could hear my Hallelujahs! as I connected with her on the points she makes about feeling completely annoyed with the change in life after having a baby and starting to stay home full time after having a job full time. As a former Gymboree-gymnastic-zoobaby-storytime-mom, I understood the wanting to escape the house and going to classes for “baby” when they really are for the parents.

The complex relationship between nanny and mother also struck a chord here at the boogie abode. I use to think I couldn’t go on with out our Carolina. Sometimes I still think about calling her back up and seeing if she will help with the kids again. She has even stopped by unannounced to see if she can get her job back… But no more nannies for the little boogies at this time.
I do applaud her conclusion … In the end, even on the toughest days, the days where the sound of your children’s voices are like nails on a chalkboard, the days where you are adorned with boogers and spit up and its been a week since you were able to take a shower and shave, the days where the only thing you have eaten is the cheerios you pulled out of your baby’s hair, those days will be the ones you remember fondly in the tough times, such as Flanagan did when she had cancer. And that is why I choose to stay home with my kids. I don’t want to miss anything, it all goes by too fast as it is…

Batter up! 10 Conversations You Need to Have with Your Children by Shmuley Boteach