The Mommy Effect

I know, I know...that is the absolute last heading you all expect to see on my blog. Especially since Mr. Gravity and I are non-breeders.

But watching some TV last night got me thinking (imagine that, TV as thought-provoking). Lately, I've become more aware of commercials. Namely, the type of commercials they show depends on the kind of program you are watching. Makes sense in most cases: medicine commercials during the national evening news ('cause the evening news is for old people); ring tone commercials during Pimp My Ride; Lowe's commercials during any show on HGTV.

Last night, we were watching the Travel Channel at the 8pm hour. Good show called No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain. I like the show b/c it holds nothing sacred and calls out pretentious bullshit with the best of them (Go Tony!). But the commercials were bugging me, you see. Most of them were the type of commercial I will call Mommy Guilt.

Every other spot was for disenfectant, diapers, baby snack food, etc...and every one of those ad spots made it seem like if you weren't using their product, you were going to hell for being a Bad Mother. Like God forbid your kid gets a cut on his hand and it gets an infection! You should have a gallon of Neosporine in the house, and if you don't you're a Bad Mother! Or God forbid your toddler licks the side of the garbage can (oh no, they NEVER do that!) and you don't have Clorox all over it...you're a Bad Mother!

These ads were making ME feel guilty and I don't even have kids (except for the 43 year old one). No wonder women in our society are made to feel not good enough. You don't clean well enough; you don't take care of your kids good enough; you aren't thin enough; and you have a wrinkle on your forehead so you're a loser!

To me, this whole thing is a new twist on repressing women. I mean, anyone knows if you want to take down a group you pick the weakest link. And when I say weak, I mean the most guilt-ridden. I would think being a mom makes you question yourself daily. You have ads bombarding you, you have the busy body bitch next store comparing her kids to yours, and you have your own moms nagging you about what is best. So The Man goes after the weakest link in the female food chain: the Guilt Ridden Mom.

Sorry, but that shit won't be bought here. And I hope that women are smart enough to know that our expectations are set WAY too high. So I say let that kid eat dirt! So what if their hair is messed up? So what if their clothes don't match? Let kids be kids and LET MOMS BE MOMS.

Go in peace and amen.

-K