The latest battle in "The Mommy Wars"

The ABC morning show, Good Morning America, started a two-part series on "The Mommy Wars" this morning, though this topic has kept hackles raised for several years now. Nothing like pitting educated women against each other to keep them from noticing who the real enemies of healthy family life are -- corporate greed and government ineptitude and public distraction. Linda Hirshman was today's guest, author of an article about how "privileged" women who choose to stay home with children are bad for society. That's coming on a bit strong, of course, but the SAHMs give tit for tat -- you'd think those of us who work were the natural kin of Eva Braun. Whatever. I totally understand why some women think it's best to stay home with their children, and I'm glad their financial circumstances allow them to make this choice, but I'm getting mighty sick of their holier-than-thou attitude toward those of us, from choice or necessity, are working outside the home. Let's call a truce and respect the choices that every woman makes for herself. If you 'd like to read some of the many volleys lobbed on the latest battleground:

http://forums.go.com/abcnews/GMA/thread?threadID=312692

ADDENDUM (3-1-06)

Newsweek's latest issue has a nice piece about Leslie Steiner's new book of essays, Mommy Wars (due out March 7).

URL for article -- http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11569327/site/newsweek/

URL for book -- http://www.lesliemorgansteiner.com/works.htm

The article notes that the majority of women with children work (about 75%) and the percentage who do has not changed significantly in several decades. So no matter how many articles appear in magazines or on TV, there really is no such thing as the "Opt-Out Revolution" -- it's a media created phenomenon, not a real trend. Nice to know -- I'm always in favor of a reality check.