Apparently the war on women is beginning to rear its ugly head. It seems to have started when the Republicans wanted to decrease or end a woman’s right to choose to what happens to their bodies. Now it’s flowing into whether to not a woman who stays at home to care for her children are really “working” women. True, raising children is hard, very hard work. Being a parent means that you are responsible for not only providing food, clothing and shelter, but also shaping a child’s mind and instilling values in them. I never had the “luxury” of choosing whether or not to stay home with my children or to go to work outside of the home. There was only one time since I became a mother that I could stay home and parent and that was when my youngest daughter was born. However, when she became a year old, I chose to return to school to study nursing. I have always been a working mom. I had two jobs; one job was to provide financially to care for my family; the other job was being a parent and caregiver. When I left my first job as a nurse being on my feet all day and caring for others, I worked at my second job; to provide care for my girls. I cooked, washed clothes, helped with homework and made sure to teach them manners, courtesy and to become self-sufficient, etc. I’m quite sure Anne Romney didn’t have to worry about whether or not she had enough money to buy a little extra for her family to bring a little joy into their lives. Even on my off days, I worked to make sure my house was in order.
Hillary Rosen should not have backed down in saying what she said. The media only jumped on the first part of her statement when she stated that Anne Romney never worked a day in her life. The rest of her statement is as follows; “She never really dealt with the kinds of economic issues that a majority of women in this country are facing in terms of how do we feed our kids, how do we send them to school, and how do we–why do we worry about their future”. Anne Romney never had to worry about her sons’ future. They are set for life. Anne Romney does not have any idea what it’s like to worry about whether or not she will have the money to send her sons to college. Anne Romney never had to worry about making sure she had enough money to provide nutritious meals for her children so they will grow to be mentally and physically healthy. I struggled to get through school so that I can adequately provide for my girls; and to also teach them the importance of having an education and a good work ethic. Thankfully, I have raised three daughters who are self-sufficient and are not only good parents but good human beings. I don’t understand where the Republicans are coming from. Not only are they trying to take away the rights that Black Americans have fought for but also the rights that women have fought for in this country. I wonder what Anne really thinks and is she just defending her husband? I would not trade my life even though at times, it was hard. I have managed to earn a PhD ( though it took me many years), have one daughter who has a MBA, another daughter who has a Masters in Education and teaches, and a daughter who has been on her present job for the past 12 years as an import/export specialist. I don’t envy Anne Romney because she has money; I just wish her husband would ask women who actually work outside the home and also care for their families what they feel about the current economic condition. My youngest daughter struggles because she earns too much money to receive child care assistance and it takes quite a bit out her paycheck. How she manages, I don’t know, but she does. I had the “luxury” of having my grandmother to help me with my girls when I became a single parent. Grandmothers today (like myself) are working themselves so caring for grandchildren may not be an option. Even now, that my children are grown and have families of their own, I still have two jobs. When I leave work, I still have to come home and cook dinner for my husband four days out of the week (we agreed on that before we got married). I don’t have the luxury of coming home and watching television and wait for someone to prepare dinner; but that’s another topic. Peace.
amayesinraine 