Flux by Peggy Orenstein thread

[lovermont]

A lot of deep stuff going on in this book- let's discuss.

[lovermont]

I keep having really amazing reflections on Flux in the middle of the night when I can't sleep because dd is up every 1/2 hour for a couple hours. I tell myself that I need to remember these awesome thoughts (also realizing that they might seem ridiculous in the morning).... and then I can't remember them in the morning!

Anyway- the idea of how a breastfeeding/ap mom fits into the book was what I was pondering last night. My thought is: if we use breastfeeding as our reason for feeling like we HAVE to be SAHM's are we just using it as an excuse. Presumably one would get 12 weeks off work (albeit with no pay) and establish a strong breastfeeding relationship- and then pump. I know it's not ideal- but it is doable if one wants to stay in the work force. I wonder if part of the problem is that the SAHM or AP family would see a mom who chooses not to stay home as less "good"?

[Staceyhsmom1]

I never finished reading the book. I really enjoyed reading what I did tho. I thought the author never wrote 'deep' enough for me, they were plenty of realizations and big ideas, plenty of varied research to back up her thoughts and to ponder more on, but nothing went deep enough for me, or got to the bottom, kwim? for me at least, it seem lacking...maybe that was the point

Originally Posted by lovermont

I wonder if part of the problem is that the SAHM or AP family would see a mom who chooses not to stay home as less "good"?

when I read this I thought, well there's not enough intel on this, does the mom want to work or does she have to work for financial reasons, then I thought, what am I implying, either way, one is judging the mom.

I think all people make judgements, and I think it's were you come from in the SAHM or AP world that would make you say the working mom is less good or not, I think it's too general a question

I think alot of choices are made subconsciously, or in retrospect the choices made turn out to be made for reasons one did not conclude to in the beginning....for example, a friend who has a young child becomes interested in waldorf (stiener) education and starts this route for her child, then finding out more about it, it becomes a way of life for her and her family, nuturing HER soul first and explanding outward to her child and family.....so she thought it was for the child, but really it was for her.........

so a woman going back to work for her own reasons, pumping, etc, doing the best she can for herself and her family, in one sense this may seem like what is needed for women's movement to continue moving forward in the work place and gives the mom what she needs, but later, it may have been the best path for her to choose for some other reason

:-)
my ramblings, again, from someone who did NOT finish the book

[emilyash]

I'm reading this right now, I'm about half way through it.

This book has made me very self-reflective. I find myself wondering where I fit it, as I never felt an ambition to climb the career ladder. Well, not the corporate ladder, as least. But perhaps the higher ed ladder, and I like being damn good at my job (middle school teacher).