New Reality Show Refueling the Mommy Wars?
Yesterday morning I heard an ad on the radio for a new TLC reality show called, The Secret Life of a Soccer Mom - where the show’s premise is to secretly take a stay at home mom away from her family for a week to pursue her dream career again.
Immediately after I got home I went to the TLC site to check it out. After watching the trailer, all I can say is ARE THEY SERIOUS? Do we really need more fuel for the stay at home vs career mom debate? I thought we settled that argument a long time ago - whatever works for your particular situation is great!
So I wrote up my initial thoughts over at my personal blog, Casual Keystrokes, and it seems that I am not the only one who is disappointed in TLC’s choice of programming in this case. Is it really necessary to deceive the families involved in the show? Who gets to define what having it ALL is anyhow? I think it is different for everyone.
Anyhow, I invite you to join the conversation we are having about the show at Casual Keystrokes, or feel free to express your opinion on this new show here. It ranks right up there with The Moment of Truth as far as I am concerned - horrible! No wonder going TV free has been so easy for us this week - we aren’t missing anything.
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POSTED IN: Parenting, Television
8 opinions for New Reality Show Refueling the Mommy Wars?
Chris Austria
Feb 28, 2008 at 8:04 am
I am not really a fan of reality t.v. because they tend to show the worse of people. This show is not about furthering the debate between stay at home mom and career mom. This show is all about money and escaping reality. Ironic isn’t it.
Tracee Sioux
Feb 28, 2008 at 8:09 am
I’m sorry, did the Mommy Wars go somewhere? Was there some consensus between working versus stay-at-home moms that occured when I wasn’t looking?
I had the opposite impression. I saw an interview with Tracy Gold about this show and I thought it would provide a good perspective of the opposite choice. She also said the show highlights the fact that different choices work best for different families.
I think both sides tend to think of their own choice as “right” and the other as “wrong.” I don’t think either perspective is very objective. Both sides get extremely defensive about thier choice as the “only way.” Which, I think is unnecessary.
I think the show looks insightful and eye-opening and might create a bridge between the two worlds. I’m hopeful. I like TLC’s programming though - I tend to think their perspective is not inflamatory, as some channels tend to be, as much as increasing understanding for whoever’s life they highlight.
homemom3
Feb 28, 2008 at 8:18 am
I think the show would be great IF they did it both ways. What about a career mom trying to be home with her kids for the same amount of time and then deciding if she wants to stay home or go back as a career mom. Ya know instead of a SAHM going to work, it should be both ways to make it fair. I think all these reality shows have gotten old, but that’s just my opinion.
Kadi
Feb 28, 2008 at 2:50 pm
Wow! I agree whole heartedly. Both of those shows sound like they would reap terrible consequences for the participants. Are you going to be back in TV land next week? I’d love for you to watch our episode on Supernanny!
kellys
Feb 28, 2008 at 6:02 pm
I like homemom3’s idea. I would like to see some full time moms stay home for a week. However, I don’t think we should give each type of mom a hard time.
homemom3
Mar 1, 2008 at 9:36 pm
I agree Kellys and really think it would be neat to see both “types” of moms in reversing roles. Both jobs are equally hard in my opinion.
Michelle
Mar 6, 2008 at 10:52 am
I totally agree with you..there were many thing “wrong” with the show, the biggest being the refueling of the mommy wars and the idea we have to make a choice. I would much rather see a show about moms who have found a way to “have it all”!
Angela
Mar 7, 2008 at 7:27 pm
The mommy wars are alive and getting nastier. I’m a SAHM for now, (I was a single working mom when my DD was younger). My sis is a working mom of 2 kids under 2. Both of us have had experiences where we were made to feel our choices were seen as “wrong”. My sis has even had someone tell her “if you ‘have’ to work you should never have had children.” I love being home, my sis openly admits that she’s a better parent for her kids because she gets to “get away” to her job. I had a woman say to me “oh, you don’t HAVE a career, how sad for you”, as if a career hold the key to ultimate happiness for everyone. (I do have a career as a NICU RN, I love it, but that’s on hold for now cuz that works best for my family.)
People are very stuck on themselves and the feeling that they have all the answers. I honestly think it stems from being insecure with the choices they have made. I’m heading back into the workforce this fall, my little guy will be 19 months old. I think it’ll be better for him if he goes into a pre-school/daycare where they are trained to help him learn and grow (and not spoil him) and it will be good for me too. I’m nervous about it, but everyone in my family agrees that this is what will work out best for all of us. My best friend is a WAHM and can’t imagine sending her kids to daycare, and that works out beautifully for her family.
Whatever works for you and your family, works for you and your family. I couldn’t do what my sis does, and I can’t imagine always being home. Those situations wouldn’t be healthy for me or my family, but it doesn’t mean they are wrong.
Shows like this on TLC can’t show all sides, because they can’t image all of the different dynamics that occur. I don’t think that the show will fuel the fire of the mommy wars anymore than throwing a can of gas on a nuclear explosion would. The war will continue, but at least we live in a society that will allow women and their families to make choices.
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