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When Mothers Work: Loving Our Children Without Sacrificing Our Selves
Drawing on the latest research and discussions with prominent psychologists, Peters explains our deep-seated resistance to mothering (and fathering) in new ways. With portraits of a dozen real families—corporate and blue collar, religious and secular, step- and single parents, urban and suburban—Peters illustrates the strategies that make this new family life succeed.
- GenresNonfiction
274 pages, Paperback
First published January 22, 1968
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 11, 2007
prepare to be offended. I am really enjoying this book, but taking it with a grain of salt. It is super interesting, and definitely different... but (as most would) she is unabashedly pushing to prove her thesis that not only can mothers work but they SHOULD! Pretty controversial. I don't agree (Why can't anyone have true BALANCE... its all SHAM or Worker bees, but no true in between).
What I do like:
That she is offensive... I like books that make me think and make me defensive. I must be a glutton for punishment.
Her stories about making kids more self and less mom sufficient
That she helps to justify and alleviate my guilt at wanting to work.
That this is actually a new take on American motherhood (she uses non Americans to show our over-obsession with our kids)
That kids do need to be raised in community, that moms are too guilty, and that women do make the family their responsibility at their own peril (at times)
what I don't like:
No balance and no respect for SHAMs... where is the book that really lets moms be moms and acknowledges that we are all good moms and that all families are different.
What I do like:
That she is offensive... I like books that make me think and make me defensive. I must be a glutton for punishment.
Her stories about making kids more self and less mom sufficient
That she helps to justify and alleviate my guilt at wanting to work.
That this is actually a new take on American motherhood (she uses non Americans to show our over-obsession with our kids)
That kids do need to be raised in community, that moms are too guilty, and that women do make the family their responsibility at their own peril (at times)
what I don't like:
No balance and no respect for SHAMs... where is the book that really lets moms be moms and acknowledges that we are all good moms and that all families are different.
February 10, 2022
3.5
Second parenting book of 2022. Most of the book was derogatory towards stay at home moms. However, it served its purpose and gave me some information I needed for a speech. Beyond that, what a strange take on motherhood.
Second parenting book of 2022. Most of the book was derogatory towards stay at home moms. However, it served its purpose and gave me some information I needed for a speech. Beyond that, what a strange take on motherhood.
June 3, 2010
This book was also sent to me by the employee assistance program. I only read part of the first chapter. It seems ridiculously biased. I don't know if I will pick it up again or not.
Three months after I wrote the above bit, I found the book on my desk and started reading it. There were a few interesting parts, but mostly I didn't like it. For one thing, it was crazy out of date which was especially noticeable when she talks about the costs of living. Also, all of the families that she used as examples are nothing like my family or like anybody I know so it didn't seem to me that she was proving her point.
Three months after I wrote the above bit, I found the book on my desk and started reading it. There were a few interesting parts, but mostly I didn't like it. For one thing, it was crazy out of date which was especially noticeable when she talks about the costs of living. Also, all of the families that she used as examples are nothing like my family or like anybody I know so it didn't seem to me that she was proving her point.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews