I'm Banning Celeb News As of Right Now
Posted on 29. Sep, 2007 by rebel in General
My absolute favorite turn-of-phrase in Linda Hirshman’s brilliant-though-misguided manifesto, Get to Work … And Get a Life Before It’s Too Late, is her description of at-home fatherhood as a “sham refuge for scoundrels from the elite.” It cracked me up to think that I used to be such a scoundrel.
Though she doesn’t develop the point, it’s pretty clear that she does not believe that rich and famous fathers who declare they will take time off to be with the kids are a representative sample of any emerging fatherhood movement. And you know what? On this point, she has a decent argument.
Tom Brady’s much-publicized struggle over whether to take some time off football to spend with his new little one lasted … um … exactly until the first preseason game of the year. Peter Baylies at athomedad.com noted last week that Michael Douglas is still out there doing what’s he’s been doing for years: bragging about his status as a full-time father, despite cranking out three films in the last two years, plus a screenplay, plus a movie in production. Jerry Seinfeld is riffing on fatherhood, too (though not in a particularly positive way), Peter points out, and Richard Gere wants to talk parenting, too.
Don’t get me wrong: I love that these guys are out there being public about their role as fathers, and I have no doubt that in workaholic Hollywood, they are indeed great role models. But I want to give credit where credit is due. There are a lot of guys doing the real, gritty SAHD work, who are sacrificing present and future earnings to be at home with the kids 12 months a year, with no breaks for shooting.
At-home fatherhood is no sham, and it’s no refuge for most of the 2 million guys who have taken on the responsibilities, and it drives me more than a little nuts to think that Hirshman (and others, no doubt), see the model of at-home fatherhood as less Philip Williams and more Gordon Gekko.
whoo_whoo
29. Sep, 2007
Great site. Hey, I’m a stay at home dad and I work out of the home as well. I’m doing this to support my wife who is going back to school full time. Not only that, but we relocated half way across the country to make her dreams possible. I appreciate being home and taking care of my 1 year old son and walking my 8 year old daughter to school. Being a stay at home parent is hard work, not for the faint hearted, it takes extra commitment. So viva to the stay at home dads out there (celeb or not) who make being at home work.
Dave
29. Sep, 2007
Thanks.. I’m an at home dad.. 2 kids.. 2-year-old and a 5 that has 3 days of home-schooling and 2 at a great charter school..
That’s what I call working at home.. my brother works at his home for a company and has 2 kids.. it ain’t even close to the same.. not even close.
If you’re working another job other than parenting.. then while you’re doing that job you aren’t parenting.. you are working at your job.
It’s possible to get work done while parenting.. .. hell.. I don’t have time to explain what I’m talking about.. even on my “day off” I’m parenting..
Shoot a movie.. yeah.. sure.. bring your kid to the set.. but you’ll have another person parenting while you do your job.
Dave
29. Sep, 2007
Sorry.. just read the comment above mine by Whoo Whoo.. didn’t want him to think I was putting down his work.. With a one-year-old it’s possible to get some stuff done.. but boy-howdy a one-year-old is real work.. good job!
denise faircloth
30. Sep, 2007
I ran across your blog as I was researching info on fathers to add to my blog for social work students. I would like to ask permission to add your blog to mine under the othersites/blogs of interest section. This is a very impressive site you have here
Thanks. prin
denguy
02. Oct, 2007
Perhaps the point that Hirshman is missing is that there’s absolutely nothing wrong with being a stay-at-home parent. I REALLY WISH PEOPLE WOULD STOP TRYING TO CONVINCE THE WORLD OTHERWISE.
JimD
02. Oct, 2007
No celeb news? Where am I going to get my news about K-Fed, everyone’s favorite new full-time SAHD?