Can We Have It All?
This week I caught an episode of TLC’s reality show The Secret Life of a Soccer Mom.
A mother of two pretends she is on a mom’s spa trip when, in fact, she is living her fantasy as a chef in one of L.A.’s top restaurants. While her husband is taking care the of the kids, she is testing her skills in the presence of the top food critics in Los Angeles—reclaiming her dream to be a top chef. At the end of her secret week, she is given the choice between taking the opportunity to be a full-time chef at Chocolat, one of L.A.’s premier dining spots, or to go home and resume her life as a full-time mom.
What does she choose?
Despite her husband’s verbal and whole-hearted support of whatever choice she makes, and with consideration of the financial implications of living solely on a chef’s salary, she tearfully chooses to remain a stay-at-home mom.
The 70’s feminist part of me shakes her head and wonders, have we regressed to Ozzie and Harriet days?
The childless by choice part of me understands.
I, too, chose between a career and children. It was a relatively easy choice for me, because I had difficulty imagining myself as a mom. But what if you had two young ones at home and part of your identity, and being, hinged on being the Mom you always wanted to be, and the other part hinged on accomplishing the goals you set for yourself prior to becoming a mom?
What would you do?
Technorati Tag: Childfree
2 comments:
Laura -- Great post. I just think men face these same issues, even though popular media focuses on the women.
How refreshing would that be to watch on the television? This should be about parenting not just moms.
Love this one. Mom's are held to such a high standard, she may have been unhappy having made the choice to be a chef. I guess it's better to decide what you want to do and do it wholeheartedly. She did what many would not have, she gave it a shot. Difficult choice though.
Post a Comment