IN ADDITION:
The issue of educated women comes up in this book. At the time, most women were not educated, so they married and became mothers - some by choice and some by social pressure. Some women were educated and stayed home - some were happy and some not; some women were not educated and stayed home - some were happy and some not - and vice versa.
One hundred years later and the discussion is still going on. Some stay-at-home mothers are at home because of social or familial pressure/guilt; some women work because they have to, although they would love to be at home. "We haven't come a long way, baby!". I would have to say that - working or not - most women I know, are not fully satisfied with their situation and God knows we've tried to remediate that!
My generation was 'dupped' into thinking that an education would solve all our problems - here's what it did: it made us want something 'more' out of life than change diapers. It made us see that there is something else, out there, than 'playgroup'. So we look at the working mothers with envy - Wow! she has the life... no barf stains on her neatly ironed blouse. The hair is done and she gets to sit down with people, who are able to utter more than one syllable words, at lunchtime.
And then, you get the working mothers, who have also bought into 'the dream' and are worn out to the bone. They also bear tremendous guilt about leaving their kids with 'someone else'. What to do, what to do....?
Maybe my daughters' generation will come up with a plan that will take care of all the questions and feelings that have plagued the women of these past generations. During my grandmother's generation, a career woman was a nun or someone that chose not to marry and have children. During my mother's generation - the feminist movement became more important and educated women started chastising women who had chosen to stay at home and raise the kids. During my generations, teachers told us to get an education, for we could be and do anything we set our minds to (!). There was also the rise in divorce and the need for women to be more independant and self-sufficient. But women of my generation had stay-at-home moms, for the most part, and we are now torn about whether to stay at home or go to work. Maybe this is the cause of the big, "working mother VS stay-at-home mom" debate. Stay-at-home moms feel that there is something 'better' out there and are somewhat envious of the working moms and the working moms feel the guilt of having to leave their children with someone else, so they feel the need diss stay-at-home moms.
What do you think?
I am currently reading, "Loving Frank", written by, Nancy Horan. This is her first book - I'm impressed! It's the story of Mamah Bostwick Cheney (no relationship with 'the Dick' - I checked!) and Frank Lloyd Wright (the great American architect).
It's a book that has you asking yourself a lot of questions, especially if you're married with children. She is married with Edwin Cheney and Frank is married with Catherine Wright. They have 9 children between them and start having an affair. I would even dare say, a love affair. I'm at the beginning of the book and already emotions of - should she be doing this? what right does she have? she has 2 children, he has 6... It certainly makes you ponder about love, commitment, honor, ... It's very well written. Quite interesting and intriquing - it's a little like being a voyeur, through all of this.
A worthwhile book, up to now: