The Shifting of Roles

I just read on Twitter that 80% of recent job loss as been suffered by men.  My Twitter follower, the fabulous Kelley Skoloda, partner/director at Ketchum Public Relations and author of a new book, "Too Busy to Shop:  Marketing to 'Multi-Minding' Women," asked if this new "state of the union" so to speak would mean that more men would be involved with activities such as shopping, PTA, etc.  and would they be changing the landscape of these typical "mom-led" programs and activities.  Great question.  

I have noticed a few more Dads picking up kids after school and rushing to get children to those wonderful after school sports programs that start right at 4:30.  And just today, while shopping at Trader Joe's, I saw at least three Dads pushing the cart while their little ones were strapped safely inside dropping produce on the floor.  This influx of "stay-at home" Dads (even it if is just a temporary "stay-at-home" situation) can also mean more Moms in the workforce and that is certain to change the landscape of parenting.

But how?  So what if more Dads are involved in room parties and field trips and Moms are not always the ones to make school lunches and attend orthodontist appointments?  Haven't we moved away from the more gender-specific tasks of the past and embraced the concept of true partnership parenting?  Regardless of how much we have evolved, the fact remains--men and women are different.  We approach things differently, we think about things differently and we react differently.  

I'm not being sexist--I believe women can do anything they want to do, but they will do it differently than their male counterparts.  Same goes for men getting more involved in traditionally "women-led" activities--they will do it well, they will just do it differently.  

Should be interesting to see how this develops.

 

Where Does The Time Go?

There are those moments in your mom life when you realize that time really doesn't stand still--no matter how hard we try to make it possible.  In between the big moments such as sending our first child off to elementary school or watching our youngest get his driver's license, our days are filled with tiny events that serve as stepping stones towards our children becoming grown-ups.  We should really relish in these moments, but truth is, they usually occur in the midst of our crazy lives and we fail to not only acknowledge they are happening, but to see their significance. 

It happened to me just this week as I took my daughter to the orthodontist.  When we walked into the office Hanna went up to the appointment desk, typed her name into the computer and promptly headed to the bathroom to brush her teeth.  All of this happened without any assistance from me--the person who has been responsible for not only making every doctor appointment of her life, but standing by her side for every shot, X-ray and medical conversation.  It is just a small sign of her growing independence and a quick reminder of just how short our time as "mommies and daddies" really is.  

This week's event prompted me to think of other moments when I felt the sting of growing up:

• Your preschooler stops kissing you in front of his friends.
  
• Your youngest leaves you standing on the sidewalk as he walks fearlessly into his new school.
  
• You watch on the sidelines as the coach tends to your child's injury.
  
• You let your daughter go to the movies (or the mall) with her friends--alone.
• Your child is taller than you, wears the same shoe size as you, etc.
  
• When challenging your child to a sport of any kind, they suddenly beat you--fair and square!
  

There are so many more moments of life I could list, but to tell you the truth, I have tears in my eyes just writing the ones I've listed above.  Growing up is a bittersweet experience--as much for the parents as it is the kids.