I submitted my book for Dr. Laura Schlessinger to review recently and Teresa Arriaza, her Programming Assistant, told me that they had rejected it because Dr. Laura doesn’t believe mothers should work.
So I asked, how about single moms and single dads? Are they all supposed to go on welfare?
Here is Ms. Arriaza’s reply: Dr. Laura’s position has always been to do what’s best for the children. If a parent has to work, she recommends that they work during hours when the children are asleep or when the other parent is at home.
My thoughts? This all sounds great on paper but it’s unrealistic for many moms and dads. If a single parent works when a child is asleep, then the parent must sleep when the child is awake, and that is a safety issue. Ask any parent who has been up with a fussy baby for several nights in a row and they will admit it’s downright dangerous. Over the long term, that is NOT “what’s best for the children.”
And for families where the parents share the childcare, the parents often don’t see each other enough to maintain their marriage and end up divorced. That is NOT “what’s best for the children” either.
Even some married parents have to contend with this issue. Maybe their spouse is serving in the military overseas, is disabled, or is on a non-military assignment out of the area.
Or maybe one spouse chooses a profession that doesn’t pay enough to support a family, like being a teacher or a nurse. There are many instances where both parents have to work, just to pay base-level bills.
Few single mothers WANT to put their kids in childcare, but it’s really a safer solution to have the children play while their mom’s at work, so they can all sleep at the same time.
‘Hope this doesn’t sound like sour grapes. I admire all she’s accomplished, and putting children first is absolutely the right thing. But there are lots of parents who have to work. Granted, there are many who don’t, who work anyway. But to lump them all together doesn’t serve anyone.
I wish Dr. Laura would broaden her view to help more working parents. My message, “Hug your kids, then get to work,” at least makes sure the most important thing you’ll do all day, gets done first.