Jezebel 
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New York, 7:27 PM
Mon Dec 21
44 posts in the last 24 hours
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12/17/09
Mother twitters her son's death. Judgement on mothering abilities ensues.
#mommywars
#tips
11/24/09
Guess which library had by far the worst-behaved kids and parents?
Ah, how I miss them all -- the ones who were always bitching about 10-cent fines and "the principle of the thing" when their jewels returned 1/3rd of a 3-piece audio-visual item they'd checked out (doesn't that count as having returned it?) and the ones who actually did all their childrens' homework because the snowflakes were too busy with important things like soccer. The ones in such a hurry they would complain loudly about the speed bumps that were put in after one of them ran down a kid in the parking lot.
I don't hate mommies, parents, or kids, but this lot will be the first against the wall when the revolution comes if I have my way.
11/24/09
It's a question of appropriate settings and appropriate behavior (from adults and kids!). I recognize that the majority of parents are doing the best they can on the latter, but many are falling off on the former. Some places are not appropriate for kids to be, both from their perspective (they're probably bored to tears at your hip, happening bar, sorry hipster douchebag parents) or from that of the other patrons.
The worst are the ones who get both wrong - badly behaved children in a place kids shouldn't even be (I live in Utah, and nearly every PG13 and R rated movie experience has involved children running feral in the theater), and they aren't a majority, but they sure are a significant minority, and they sure are irritating.
11/24/09
That's why they're always telling me all about their kids.
Meanwhile, they also want me to give them all kinds of accommodations---from parental leave to bus seats to tax breaks. Again, as if my turn will come around and it will all work out because we're a village and what-not. But it won't work out that way, because I don't want to be a mother. They selfishly ignore my valid life choices, and I resent it. For the longest time, I thought I didn't like kids, but I've spent enough time around them to realize that's not so. Kids can be delightful. It's entitled, inconsiderate, narcissistic parents I can't stand.
11/24/09
And for parents in general (across all classes), the pendulum currently seems to be firmly in the "they're kids - let them do what they want" in all area. And I think this seems particularly annoying to parents of different generations, the non-parents and the "considerate" parents. For while children will be children, just because they have the urge to climb over the booth and slobber on the windows and shriek at the Cheesecake Factory, doesn't mean that mommy and daddy should allow it. Sometimes Mommy and Daddy gotta step up, parent and say "no". Whether or not it's a McLaren stroller.
11/24/09
1.) The more common "Cuteus Spawnus" These parents can be seen at a crowded restaurant or public place letting their children scream and cry as much as possible, without so much as a "shush." Other acts of these parents include letting their children (Edit: attack) the waitress' legs when she is carrying a large tray and then blaming her for dropping said tray because their children are perfect.
2.) The less common but possibly more evil "Manipulai Abusivus" These parents will bring out their demon spawn in packs of 2-5 and will proceed to scream, curse, and in the extreme, hit their children in front of the restaurant. This causes the other adults around them to become extremely uncomfortable and ask the waitress if she can do anything to stop it, and/or offer sympathy for waiting on such insane people. These parents do not hesitate to call their server rude names including "stupid" and "bitch" and will almost inherently call a manager over to try to manipulate their way into a free meal.
(Disclaimer: I do not like children and I am a waitress. I know, icky situation.)
11/24/09
On the other hand, you DO get the people who tut and roll their eyes at anything child related. You want to tell them about the exciting thing your kid did today! And why shouldn't you be able to without them going "oh STOP talking about your bloody kid" when all I did was mention something in passing. He's part of my life, why shoudn't I be able to talk about him? And why shouldn't I expect people to be courteous when i'm trying to lug him round in a buggy with a load of bags? I'm not asking for you to lay down your life, i'm just asking for a bit of common courtesy... the kind you'd afford to anyone if you're not an asshole.
11/24/09
But as much as I hate parents who bring their children to evening movies and resturants with items costing more than $30, I'm amazing by the kid-hate out there.
When one of my co-workers was pregnant, she was very non-baby obsessed, but another co-worker still felt the need to tell the pregnant lady he didn't like kids and didn't want to be around hers. For no reason.
Just on this thread, there are people complaining about a baby being born near their wedding (couldn't they plan better?) and comparing a baby to a Tomagoshi (I can soothe my Tomagoshi, why can't they soothe their kid?). I hope these are jokes, but I doubt they are. Entitled people exist whether they have kids or not.
11/24/09
11/24/09
I can't believe you live in this world and can disingenuously say, on a blog that is supposed to be women-friendly, that women and mothers aren't being discriminated against here. It should be a given for all women that there is discrimination in the mix. It is simply not a world where you can hope for otherwise.
11/24/09
Children and their guardians have an equal right to access and enjoy public places. Most guardians do not want their kids to annoy other people. This article is generalizing a great deal, since the "bad parents" are few and far between. Most people just want to have a life & enjoy public spaces. If their kid is going to act out & make noise, well, they are kids, so what. Who are you to dictate where a large, cognizable group of women is allowed to socialize? Why should they "reorganize" their lives to pacify your annoyance?
There are plenty of annoying people out there, often not by their own will. So should we write articles about how annoying it is when mentally handicapped people are "annoying" and loud in public? This article isn't much more than destructive mother-hating/shaming in my opinion.
11/24/09
There is mother hating out there. Fo'sure. And articles should be written on it by the dozen.
But I think what Sadie is trying to point out is that some hate is specifically directed to a certain group. White, smug, trendy and city-dwelling mothers AND fathers. And regarding parental/child access to certain places - Sadie isn't arguing that mothers and children stay in doors but that a certain group of parents do expect to take their children to previously recognised 'adult only' areas (like bars! with alcohol!)
11/24/09
I have to admit that I laughed really hard at this and think that is sums up my opinion on the matter pretty well.
11/24/09
11/24/09
i had imagined something a bit more absurd like jester, minstrel, scribe and knight.
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11/23/09
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11/23/09
11/24/09
I agree with the tenure of the article; aka, everyone stop being assholes for god's sake (and that goes for people without kids too. I'm accosted all the time by plenty of assholes who are completely child free!). But I'm really surprised at the dismissal of an obvious gender inequality on the basis of a single anecdote.
11/24/09
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11/23/09
Just like my high school best friend's stay-at-home mom was openly judgmental of working mothers because she felt their life choices called her life choices into question, I am wary of baby-centric types because their total baby euphoria is not something I understand (or think makes sense) but they usually seem SO SURE of it that it makes me question my babies-can-wait attitude and also fills me with some kind of innate horror that I don't fully understand.
I like kids and I know that I will someday "cave" and go the mommy way. And when I do, I assume I'll go full throttle. I wouldn't be surprised if I end up foregoing work like many of the women I am so alarmed by now. That's where my mommy revulsion comes from: I see some distorted version of myself in the Momiacs and I don't like it.