Mommy Guilt in the News

You know the saying about keeping your friends close, your enemies closer? I guess that’s why I noticed “Mommy Guilt” popping up more than usual recently.

A few examples for your perusal:

• The New York Times examined the implications of guilt for the mothers of Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears, and Paris Hilton/Nicky Hilton, after their daughters’ latest exploits. (The verdict: Kinda guilty)
• CNN says most moms feel guilty, but we shouldn’t. It’s bad for our kids (and for us). A clinical psychologist (male, by the way) told CNN: “Any guilt that you carry from home to work or work to home will interfere in your performance in that role and in your satisfaction with that role. So you’re really cheating yourself.” (The verdict: Guilty, guilty, guilty!)
• Even the News Journal of Wilmington, Delaware (“Hi. I’m in Delaware.”) got in on the mommy guilt action. Their survey of 50 Wilmington moms showed a 90% guilt rate. Working, staying at home, doesn’t matter. I did enjoy the comments and stories from some of the locals. It’s impressive to see a local paper give that kind of coverage to the inner struggles of moms today. (The verdict: Guilty, but who isn’t?)
• And then there’s Rush Limbaugh. I’ll let this big fat idiot speak for himself: “This is such old news: women trying to have it all, and being guilty about everything. This is a derivative of our good friends the NAGs, the feminists. Try to have it all, and every woman’s got ‘mommy guilt.’ Every woman has this. It’s nothing new! It’s been going on since birth was first recorded in human civilization.” What I want to know is, are the NAGs related to WMAGs? Maybe we should get together. (The verdict: Not guilty by reason of stupidity)

So that’s the latest intel on our old enemy, mommy guilt. I think it’s got a pretty good foothold, but we’re making a little progress every day. Fight the good fight, working moms! You can do it!