It’s the knee-jerk American question: “What do you do?” Even though so many people hate their jobs, we just can’t help ourselves. We talk about work. It’s an easy conversation topic—unless you answer, “I’m just a mom.” Then it’s like someone let the air out of a balloon. The conversation might spurt along for a few little gasps of air, but then it goes flat, dead. The person has run out of things to ask you. They’ve said all the bromides they know about what they think mothers do…yeah, like, what the heck does a mom do anyway? Change diapers? Drive kids to soccer practice? Even the word mom sounds frowsy, dull, slightly annoying. It’s an incredibly easy word to whine or bellow. It’s just not cool.
Read Full Article »
