I just read an interesting blog from my friend, Kate.(www.mammacake.com) She was reacting to a blurb in her son's elementary school newsletter encouraging parents to read to their children. Yay, we should read to our children. I think so, and Kate thinks so. The reaction-worthy part of that blurb was where it then began to tell which kinds of books boys would like and which type of books girls might like...stereotypically speaking. I would generally dismiss an ignorant statement and move on, but not Kate.
Upon reading her somewhat visceral reaction, I realized two things.
1. I am generally apathetic toward anything the school system generates.
2. I was generated by the school system.
While it is frustrating that some cronies are still unwittingly forcing career paths according to gender, some efforts to encourage (or push) girls to "excel" in Math and/or Science and many heretofore male-dominated careers implies that not striving toward post-secondary education and a lofty career is a cop-out. It most certainly is not, because everyone is not THE SAME.
Case-in-point: I, too, was pushed along under the college prep umbrella... Unfortunately, the message I received was ...you can be anything you want if you just go to college, get an education, get a job with benefits, make money, save money...etc, etc, etc. Who would admit to the belief that a person's value is solely dependent on his (or her) income ??? Mother Theresa would not approve, yet I perceive this to be the prevalent message to the up and coming generations of young women(and men).
I would never discourage any of my daughters if their heart's desire was to be a rocket scientist or a dentist, but I certainly wouldn't discourage it if their heart's desire was to be a wife and mother, either. I feel like I knew deep-down I wanted to be a stay-at-home mom, but it was counter-culture in my family of origin...and being a "smart kid" at school...I was guided by "counselors" to take a bunch of classes I really had no interest in or desire to take. Did I stand up for what I wanted?...no...I wasn't really sure how life worked at that point.
I crunched these numbers just for fun...
In 4 years of high school, I took eight semesters, with 7 classes each...lets see that's 56 classes. Among those 56 classes I took the required English and History, PE and Government/Econ., for the upper tier classes: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Algebra, Geometry, Analytic Geometry and Trigonometry , and a smattering of electives, mostly business-oriented. I never once took a "Study Hall" which I obviously needed but didn't have room for in my schedule. Also, there was a class called "Childhood Development" that I would have probably "enjoyed", but didn't have room in my schedule. And...out of all those classes, I can only think of ONE that I actually benefit from almost everyday...KEYBOARDING 101. Ironic.
By the way, I have a Bachelor's Degree, too...blah blah blah.
But, now that I am "just a mom", I have undue self-esteem issues. I think they stem from not being employed in the field that I was trained for and not being fully trained for what I am doing. Domestic skills are taken for granted...I didn't really learn many, and my constantly cluttered house and running in circles methods are tiresome. Here is what I do know...in case you might ask...there isn't anything I would rather do than just be here so that I can try to meet my family's needs. I'm thankful everyday that God (and my husband) values that.
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