End the Mommy Wars

Don't children need their fathers just as much as they need their mothers? I think so. Should we ask if Obama can handle the job of President and still have time for his daughters? What a double standard.
Oh, and how many of you have had sex as teenagers? Yea, I thought so. You just didn't get caught or get pregnant. Get over it!

I am all for women who have a career and want to contribute to society, but did anyone notice her pregnant daughter is always holding Gov.Palin baby and not the FATHER. Whose currently/going to be handling the children, if McCAIN/PALIN wins? I know it's not Sarah Palin. Seem to me that her family is least important, especially during a troubled time for both her and the country.

Palin put her choice to give birth to a child with special needs out there as a sign of her character. Why then should we disallow discussion of her other parenting choices?

The worse part--does she know what DC is like in the summer? rjp

It is good to finally see a woman stick for woman's rights not just Democratic woman's rights. Well written

I agree that one should normally remain tolerant about another family's parenting choices, but not this time. Palin makes her own parenting style open to public debate when she advocates laws that would force her choices on other American families. If we need to decide if we should accept her anti-abortion stance and her opposition to sex education, we have a right to see how those ideas have worked out within her own family.

I find it difficult to criticize Palin's career and family choices. I know I could not accomplish what she has while raising a family of five. While a child's behavior may reflect somewhat on a person's ability to parent, the child still has a free will to choose their own actions. I don't know a child anywhere who obeys completely, regardless of what they are taught.
I think the main issue is Palin's parenting techniques should not be the criteria by which she is judged suitable or unsuitable for the position for which she is being considered. Rather, the American public should consider her leadership and decision making abilities as well as her track record in previous positions.
Let's be grown up about this. How about instead of the catty name calling, we take a serious look at the person's credentials beliefs, and abilities.

I think it's time to stop discussing Palin's family and background as well. We've seen and heard enough over the past few days to know full well that John McCain made a rushed, misguided, flat out wrong choice in choosing her, not through any fault of Palin's. There is no need to throw mud on her name when it is McCain's decision making that should bear responsibility. McCain is the only one who can stop the discussion by getting her out of the national spotlight. That's what he needs to do. Then we can stop discussing her every fault.

Dems are not attacking Ms. Palin's parenting, nor are they attacking her daughter. The furor centers around the question of Gov. Palin's ability to do the job based on her lack of experience and her extreme ideologies. I was the vice-mayor of a small town for 8 years and I know what it takes. Believe me, it is NO preparation for being VP and possibly Pres!

We also question McCain's decision making ability. It is clear that he did not vet this candidate. He made a snap judgement after he was told he could not choose Leiberman. By the way, if he were a real maverick, wouldn't he have choosn the VP he really wanted? Instead he gave in to pressure from the far right.

McCain is no maverick. Nor is he a good decision maker. Unfortunately, Ms. Palin's nomination is a clear
illustration of that. The Republican's are begging everyone to back off - not because they are concened about Bristol - but because they are terrified that McCain's decision will ultimately blow up in their faces. If Palin or McCain really cared so much about Bristol, they would not have thrust her into the national spotlight in the way they did.

Enough hypocracy.

hmm, as a guy I did not take maternity leave. My spouse took six months. She was probably fine after a week (after 72-hours she was somewhat tired). Either way; not being the one doing the birthing, I was somewhat less focused on my job. After all, how exciting it was to have another kid, again, healthy-thank goodness. Then again, how sleepy I was too, after being "woken" up by a crying baby. Anyhow, now that the baby making has left us with kids, whenever the kids (those tween/teens) have an issue we both lose our focus (on work), get stressed out and deal with the issue. I know, our issues are probably nothing. I am not sure how we could get thru a baby with issues, a pregnant teen and yup a nation going on a feeding frenzy. I know our tween/teens could handle a frenzy too. After all, they freak out when we show up in their little circle of their parties etc. At least, they understand that we respect the constitution and given them total freedom of choices in life.

I am a working SINGLE dad. The idea that a mother is someone enabled by birth with "mothering" traits is complete BS. Check the stats, an increasing number of men are raising their children by themselves and many women are forgoing parenting all together. Stop thinking that parenting and the rearing of children only comes from people with vaginas.

This is about choices ??? Sarah Palin???s and John McCain???s.

First ??? and this relates directly to Ms. Deveny???s article ??? there is the issue of the choices faced by Sarah and Bristol Palin. Being pro-choice, I can understand and, indeed, find laudable Governor Palin???s decision to have her latest child. One has to wonder, however, about Bristol???s ???choice??? to have her baby and to marry someone who might not make the best father and husband. To what degree was that ???choice??? forced on young Bristol by her very ambitious mother? Governor Palin???s decision to plod ahead with a national political campaign ??? a campaign she must have known would shine a bright spotlight of publicity on a daughter in crisis ??? speaks volumes about the Governor???s priorities and, yes Ms. Deveny, her mommy skills.

The second point relates to Mr. McCain???s choice - forced on him by the ???Base??? that smeared him in 2000. It has been described as a ???bold gamble.??? But, one must ask, a ???bold gamble??? with what? It???s one thing to gamble ??? boldly - with the future of a political campaign; it???s entirely another thing to gamble ??? recklessly ??? with the future of our country. Is it his to gamble with?

???Boldly,??? by the way, connotates ???strength.??? But Senator McCain???s caving in to the expediency of winning at any price reeks of weakness ??? the sort of weakness that throws into question the entire narrative of courage being woven around him. Courage, after all, is not just physical.

Yes, there???s one more choice that needs mentioning ??? ours!

So let's see...Gov. Palin is against abortion and birth control, wants abstinence-only programs in schools. Yeah, that worked out REALLY well. Let's face reality: abstinence-only programs DO NOT WORK. Period. I'm not against saving sex for marriage, but we need to realize that teens don't always think rationally and need to know all the options, not just one. Teens need to know EVERYTHING about sex: not just chastity but also about using protection, how the menstral cycle works, the STDs, etc. So that when they do do it, whether it's on their wedding night or not, at least they will know what to do, how their bodies work, and not be left in the dark.

I had Sex-Ed when I was in high school and I didn't get pregnant (still haven't) and I use protection. A cousin of mine didn't have any sex-ed, and not only was she pregnant at 17, she hid her pregnancy until her eigth month (my aunt and uncle only found out when my cousin looked pale and was taken to the hospital). Has she had sex-ed, I guarantee you this wouldn't have happened. Thank God the baby came out okay, but it was still a shock for everyone.

This is why Sex-Ed is sorely needed. Not all teens are willing to wait. The least we can do is teach them ALL tha basics, including chastity, and hope that they can make smart choices for themselves in the long run.