It used to be a feminist mantra: you can do it all, successfully raise a family and have a career.
Meg Wolitzer , the author of “The Ten-Year Nap,” a new novel about women who leave the workplace to care for their children, says the one-time noble goal doesn’t always work out in real life — and that is not a bad thing.
“Having everything is one of those cringe worthy concepts that sound better than they actually are,” Wolitzer told Reuters.
“Is the point of life to amass a big jackpot? I think the point is the stuff that happens along the way.”
Do you think women should strive to “have it all” — a career and a family — or is that feminist ideal overrated?
Click here to read the full story on Meg Wolitzer’s book.
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4 comments so far
women can no more have it all than anyone else can. The unreasonable expectation just leads to anxiety and frustration. Broken marriages and commuter kids. Life is really a series of trade offs. Family or career vacation here ofr there, this college or that university. Those hyper organized gurus who try to tell women they can be both wife and CEO are just blowing smoke. If you as a husband or wife are commited to your children and family then your career track will probably not lead to the boardroom. If you are dedicated to your career which is a laudable goal in it self then you must choose to not raise a family. Workaholics take note! Either choose career or choose family and be prepared for the consequences of the choice.
- Posted by garyOdd…is this a question you would ask a man? Can a husband, man have it all? Would he want it all?
I think you reach for the sky, grab what you want, use it, throw away what does not work for you keep what does and enjoy what little time we have here. Regret as little as possible and do the best we can with what we accomplish.
In the end, we will always see what we could have done better and know that when we rock our grandchildren we did screw it up. We did not need half the stuff we got, but thought was so important and those little buggers we had and were so strick with and determined were going to be the best at everything, do not remember the times we thought were so important. They remember the stupid stuff, and I mean the most stupid things, like the time you get into it with a police officer (now this is the only time you get pulled over in your life) never the vacations to Washington to see monuments, because…they were so boring and the bickering in the back seat was so loud!
Grandchildren, you get right, because you finally realize you can have it ‘all’. You don’t have to do anything. Bake cookies, play on the floor, go to the Dollar store and tickle them.
Yes, you can have it all, about time you are having your second childhood. Deb
- Posted by debLife is a series of choices. Do we put our children first or our job first? You can’t do both first, no matter how you play it.
- Posted by Allison KnightSorry, on second thoughts, you can have it all! You can have a chocolate frappacino with sprinkles for five dollars to get you through the day. Or, you can have a hot dog with the works. But outside of that, you have to pick and choose.
- Posted by Allison Knight