Backpacking Dad

I don't get where work at home moms fit in. The whole topic gives me a stomach ache anyway. I'd much rather argue over whether or not Twilight is the worst thing that's happened to YA fiction ever ever.

I hate these debates because they don't talk about people who have no choice in the matter, either way.

Single parents, parents of children with disabilities, etc.

I'm a working mom and I've never once thought mom's who don't work have no brain. I think they're lucky, and I think they are more patient than I am. I fully admit that I need to work for my own sanity - maybe that makes me a bad mom - but my kids are loved and cared for and they are totally happy. To each his (or her) own man.

The only time I care what side of this fence someone else is on is when THEY make judgments about MY place. Live and let live, I say.

(But conservatives ARE actually both brainless AND soul-less. Just sayin'.)

when I was a working parent - I had so much guilt about leaving my wee ones in daycare...but had no choice.

now I am a SAHP - and I have so much guilt about not being one of 'those moms' who: mill their own wheat, only serve organic and sugar free, don't let them watch tv, home school and all that earth mother stuff.

can't win either way - you just gotta do what you gotta do and pray for the best.

There's always something to feel guilty about, and there's always someone out there hoping to make themselves feel better by making you feel guilty.

I'm reading you on your site. I promise.

As for the debate, it's only an ugly thing when we refuse to see and admire what the other people are doing. This parenting thing is hard as shit people! Anyone who thinks they have the answers for everyone is an asshat.

That's my opinion though. Feel free to flame away. I'm a conservative liberal who stayed home and went to work. I've tried it all. Gotta do what works for your family I think.

What if you're a conservative, stay-at-home zombie mom? No soul, no brain AND undead. Harsh.

My solution has been to be a WAHM...I work about 15-20 hours a week normally and watch my 2 kids at home. They go to Parent's Day Out twice a week. We have the best of both worlds. Luckily we can make that happen--I realize we are fortunate. I love it!

I know this argument is done, and continues to be, to death, but I've never really understood why each camp has such opinion on each other. Like everything there are pros and cons, and it's a simple matter of choice, circumstance and balance.

I also love the argument that anyone can have one parent stay at home if they just sacrifice a little, like not going on fancy vacations or living in mansions... really? Because we don't do any of those things and are both professionals with medium incomes, but I'm not sure how it's going to work when I start having to pay for the Bun's daycare in the fall as well as Pumpkpinpie's. That argument baffles me.

But really, I think some people do what they do because they believe it's best, some people do what they do out of necessity, and some people make their choices based on what will suit them best.

I'm totally pro-zombie

I have no brains and I have no soul. I take my children to work with me. And I make them work. Apparently it's the worst of both worlds (just ask my children)

how did you know i was a sahlz (stay at home liberal zombie?)

I firmly believe that all parens, SAH, WAH, WOH, etc., are doing what they think is best for their families; or they are doing the best that their resources allow. I hate it when people sit in judgement of their fellow parents work/life decisions.

That said, as a SAHM I am clearly a superior parent. Heh.

Do people really argue about this? I mean, soul, brain, whatever, vampires are so much hotter than zombies. And I'm not even talking about that Twilight bullshit. Have you seen Lestat? Dude! Also, he can f'ing fly! How many zombies you know who can fly? If being a SAHP meant I could fly, I'd totally do that.

Way to bring it down to the vampire vs. zombie level! Brilliant! But to say they aren't real... Do you know that for sure? Cause the latest facebook quiz I took said I would kick zombie behind, and I need to know whether or not I should be working on my training montage...

What about the people who are somewhere in between, like those who work at home full-time? Are they like the Green party?

Dude.

The new season of True Blood starts on Sunday.

Don't tell ME about the not-realness of vampires.

Or I'll have my Zombie come and eat your brain.

These debates only happen because people aren't willing to respect other people's choices and opinions.

Except with vampire and zombies, that's just the zombies being jealous because vampires are hot. Just ask those crazy middle-age ladies lusting after Robert Pattinson ;-)

I've always worked until this summer. My husband did weekdays and I did weekends. Then the kids started school and I worked while they were in school.

Then summer and it didn't make sense to give my money away to let someone else shape my kids - so I quit. I'm lucky enough to have a workplace that is keeping my job open and letting me fill in when I can.

I've always been of the mindset - whatever floats your boat. Everyone is different you have to make it work for you.

That was awesome.

Yup, that's all I've got. But it was really awesome.

I'm with kittenpie - basically, parents have to do what they can manage. There are a few true things (Zombie rules? Vampire laws?) I have learned about parenting:
a) I have never liked that verb. You ARE a parent, working, at home, a little of both, a lot of each. Always a parent.
b) Judging other parents is not in the spirit of the enterprise.
c) Guilt is part of the deal no matter what.

We are all Zompires.

Hey, what about the werewolves ?! Psstt...no new camps because of embombing. No zombies because of Bruce Cambell. Werewolves survive :)