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The role of a mom is undoubtedly an important one.
I have become a motherhood book hoarder.
Up until now, most of my books have been on the joys (and pains) of pregnancy.
Of course, “best mother” is a subjective measure.
And its definition haschanged greatlyover the years (as has our understanding ofmost things).
Book searching, in fact, is a great way to see that change.
Lena and William Sadler.
According toThe Atlantic, this key in of parenting advice was unanimous amongst all motherhood manuals during that era.
But the reason this approach was embraced, it seems, was a sign of the times.
This instilled fear in mothers everywhere.
A real softy, right?
Women, again, were not just mothers, they were working mothers.
And not in the same way that the women of the 1900s were.
They were seekingemployment outside of the home.
Some were living independently for the first time in their lives, and having fewer children.
He singlehandedly changed the way parents raise their children."
For the first time, the expert was telling mom that love and affection was a good thing.
His biggest takeaway: “Trust yourself.
You know more than you think you do.”
Unfortunately, that same support towards mother-loving was also aslight against mothers who worked.
Thiscreated a deep needfor childcare facilities.
Those same newspapers now started displaying ads with soldiers daydreaming about the way things were.
Operation June Cleaverwas set into motion.
And if you had young children, you were in for an even longer workweek.
Help from the husband, however, was a rare occurrence.
This became “child-centered” mothering.The role of a good momwas to serve her children without pressuring them.
And if spousal abuse was an issue, they had little legal protection against them.
The perfectionist was born.
And information overload was exactly what mom was looking for.
Mothers were doing everything and doing it well.
And finally getting alittlebit more help from their husbands.
In1980, about 30 percentof wives claimed their husbands did not do any housework.
Moms now feel empowered to raise their kids exactly as they want to raise them.
I dare you to do a quick book search onAmazonright now using the word “Motherhood.”
And who says you have to raise your children the American way?
There are also the mommy blogs to lend a helping hand.
There’s theTech Savvy Mama, theDesign Mom, the ever fashionableCupcakes and Cashmere, and the hilariousScary Mommy.
There isn’t one expert becauseeverybodyis making themselves the expert.
And they don’t bite off more they can chew.
They are having anaverage of two kidscompared to the three or four children their mothers and grandmothers were having.
Sure, there is still fear and uncertainty going into motherhood.
No mom can fully prepare themselves for what some would consider theWorld’s Toughest Job.
But at least we can move forward without judgment, without injustice, and with a little help fromAmazon.
