'Stranger Danger' is Bullshit

About this episode

The episode discusses the pressures of modern motherhood, the expectations placed on moms, and the consequences of being judged for parenting choices.

I was out with a group of mom friends recently when the conversation turned to how much we have to schlep our kids around—driving/walking them to school, to sports practice, to lessons and day camps. There was broad consensus that: * we hate it * it feels mandatory as “good moms” AND * we wonder whether our kids could…just maybe…be a little more independent? This last point was uttered cautiously, as if everyone was reading the room, terrified of being judged. And with good reason. All too often maternal suffering feels like a competition; if you’re not having a bad time, you must not be doing enough. And don’t your precious little babies deserve EVERYTHING? Moms are expected to make sacrifices to our careers, personal interests, and even our health in order to ensure that our offspring are protected from every imaginable risk AND maintain dominance in the extracurricular arms race. The end goal of this is… unclear. Harvard, I guess? Some magical career that will guarantee a comfortable, middle-class life with zero upheaval? Heretic Hereafter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Arrested for…

People in this episode

Host: Katharine Strange

Guest: Kim Brooks

Topics covered

• parenting
• independence
• maternal judgment
• legal issues
• sacrifice
• extracurricular activities

Keywords

• parenting
• independence
• judgment
• legal issues
• sacrifice
• extracurricular
• moms
• competition

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Harvard

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