When Babies Aren't Enough by Jessica Hopkins

1.) Overall main topic of this book connects between the issue of motherhood and feminism. One major key point I found while reading this book is the author, Amber Kinser explains the growth and progress of the role of mothers in the american society meaning how the roles have changed overtime. A major theme of Kinser’s book is that the public debates may focus on mothering, but the issues affect us all.  Cutting back on health care for women, on education, and on jobs for teachers, social workers and others in the service sector have their greatest impact on mothers, but they affect all of us. Motherhood becomes a symbol for how men and women, single and married, gay and straight, deal with the need for individual options and the need to act for the good of others.

Waldinger has access to real evidence and data on happiness and satisfaction over adult development. Waldinger states that in 1938 they began to track the lives of the lives of two completely different group of men. The first group were sophomores at Harvard College, the second group consisted of boys from Bostonś poorest neighborhoods and those from troubled families. Throughout the seventy five years of conducting this study, the clear message that kept reappearing was that strong and comforting relationships allow us to remain happier and healthier. By being involved with the study firsthand, Robert Waldinger gives his audience a reason to continue

"Motherhood is a great honor and privilege, yet it is also synonymous with servant hood. Every day women are called upon to selflessly meet the needs of their families. Whether they are awake at night nursing a baby, spending their time and money on less-than-grateful teenagers, or preparing meals, moms continuously put others before themselves and enjoy doing their jobs as mothers." (Stanley) . According to Betty Rollin 's essay, "Motherhood: Who Needs It?", Rollin argues that mothering, preconceived as a biological necessity, is in fact, a psychological desire. Rollin quotes psychiatrist Dr. Richard Rabkin: "Women don 't need to be mothers any more than they need spaghetti... But if you 're in a world where everyone is eating spaghetti, thinking they need it and want it, you will think so too." (Rollin 102) Although one 's society may have the power to influence his or her eating habits, a mothers desire to have children is an entirely different issue. Many women often want to have children and go through motherhood because of social pressure, to please their spouse, and to be "happy".

The poem “Mothers and Daughters” is written by Pat Mora. Pat Mora is a contemporary award winning writer, who writes for children, youngsters and adults. She was born in El Paso, TX in the year 1942. She attains a title of a Hispanic writer; however, the most of her poems are in English. In her literary work, one can observe the different aspects of the immigrants’ lives such as language issues, family relationships, immigrants’ experiences and cultural differences (1187).

Mothers are typically seen as kind, loving, and nurturing, at least in a perfect world, that’s how they are. Rather, in the real world many of us wish that is how all mothers are. Various situations can lead to a woman to be too mothering. It is a factor that transcends real life. This conflict causing dynamic is very prevalent in numerous stories, films, and plays. Two plays where it is shown in significance are Machinal and The Glass Menagerie. In both cases, the actions taken by the mother roles in the shows, resulted in some of the character’s roles ending in unfortunate events of some sort.

The nonfiction book, There Are No Children Here by Alex Kotlowitz attempts to awaken the reader’s sense of outrage that children are made to suffer needlessly. The author conveys this message through the lives of two boys, Lafeyette and Pharoah, surviving in the Henry Horner Homes which is a public housing unit with crime and neglect. In the Preface, the author explains how he met Lafeyette and Pharoah. He explains he met these two boys through writing an interview for a friend doing a photo essay. Though Kotlowitz interviewed over ten children, Lafayette's description of violence unnerved him. He spoke in terms of “if he grew up” rather than “when he grew up.” He wasn’t sure he would make it to adulthood. Also, he explains that the title comes from the boy’s mother. When asked if he could interview her children, LaJoe replies “but you know, there are no children here. They’ve seen too much to be children.”

In “Invisible Child,” a New York Times article written by Andrea Elliot, we follow a day in the life of a young African American girl, Dasani, growing up in New York City. However, instead of living in an “Empire State of Mind,” Dasani lives in the slums, growing up homeless with her two drug addicted parents and seven siblings. Dasani often finds herself taking care of her siblings, making sure they have enough to eat, tying shoelaces, changing diapers, getting them to the bus stop in time, and the list goes on. An 11 year old girl, essentially taking care of a whole family, as well as taking care of herself by going to school, receiving an education, and partaking in extra-curricular activities. Elliot captures the life and struggles of a family well under the poverty line, giving us an unprecedented look into what Dasani must do each day not just to grow up in New York City, but to survive.

In the article "The Parent Trap" by Judith Warner, it can be seen that, although a women 's life should inevitably change when she becomes a mother, there are still some similarities to a mother nowadays and a mother from the 1950s. Mothers everywhere are changing their whole life around just for the simple reason of becoming a mother. Society should not force women to think that this way of living is acceptable, but unfortunately, society has forced us to believe that these lifestyles are acceptable to throw upon many mothers. These situations are causing mothers to drop their jobs and their dreams. It forces mothers to see life as something that it truly is not. This form of lifestyle is shaping mothers to become people that society sees as normal. Even if this style of life is not truthfully normal. Some of the things that are considered to be normal are the different tasks that women are expected to do every day.

In her novel Factory Girls, Leslie Chang offers an insider’s perspective of the Chinese export business that ultimately exposes the true colors of factory life in China to the people of the western society. Throughout the novel, she cites historical reasoning as to why a sudden growth in factory workers has occurred and how it has turned into the monstrous industry that it is now. Mainly, she credits the large migration of people from the rural areas to the cities because this caused major political reform. The PRC were then able to move into the global economy with a new strategy, given by Deng Xiao Ping, which consequently caused trade to open up and certain cities to be designated as placeholders for economic development with the potential for newer business.

Maya Angelou said, “To describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its perfect power. Or the climbing, falling colors of a rainbow” (Wanderlust 1). The relationship a mother has with her child transcends all other relationships in complexity. Maternity largely contributes to the female identity in part because the ability to sexually reproduce is uniquely female. With this ability often comes an unparalleled feeling of responsibility. That is, mothers experience an inherent desire to protect their children from the world and guide them through life. Serving as a child’s protector then transforms a woman’s perspective, or the female gaze. While these protective instincts often arise naturally, they are also reinforced by the ideas society’s perpetuates about motherhood. Globally, women are expected to assume the roles of wives and mothers. The belief that motherhood is somewhat of a requirement assists in the subjugation of women and reinforces a plethora of gendered stereotypes. While some women enjoy the process of childrearing, others feel that having a family comes at an irreparable cost: losing sight of oneself. In response to the polarized views surrounding maternity, several authors have employed different writing techniques to illustrate the mother-child dynamic. Through the examination of three narratives, spanning fiction and non-fiction, one is able to better define maternity and the corresponding female gaze in both symbolic and universal terms.

Motherhood is awesome and trying at the same time. Men cannot carry children, therefore motherhood is akin to a secret society of sisters. There are so many interesting things about momness. We’re a pretty cool bunch, and I hope you enjoy the varied 13 Amazing Motherhood facts I have compiled.

Being a mother is to support your children all the way even if they choose to take the road you don’t want them too. Mother’s play a responsible role in children’s health, education and complete wellbeing. In the article, Mother Inferior? Hanna Rosin, the author talks about her mothering style, which is the complete opposite of Amy Chua from The Battle Hymn of The Tiger Mother. Hanna Rosin would allow everything that Amy Chua wouldn’t allow for her children. Her idea of raising children were different, she wanted her child to be happy in fact she never pressured her child into doing anything. Hanna Rosin had some good points; however, some of her points I cannot agree with her. I agree with Hanna Rosin when she said

Not only are woman subjected to society norms based on their personality characteristics, but also on their life choices and “domestic responsibilities” questions arise for woman like “who will care for you children and husband”. Montague Kern and Paige P. Edley state that women will continue to be “criticized for abandoning their traditional family roles” (1). This topic is not something that is brought up to their male counterparts. I don’t believe I have ever heard a man be questioned on who was going to assume the responsibility of raising their children. So until society genuinely accepts that raising children and other domestic issues are shared endeavors, then women will continue to face this barrier. (Robson, 208)

Some of us go through tough experiences as children. In Patricia Grace’s novel Baby No-Eyes under the chapter of Kura, the reader gets to see how Gran Kura’s traumatic experience as a child is finally revealed after being held secret for sixty years.

Sylvia Plath’s poetry is well known for its deeply personal and emotional subject matter. Much of Plath’s poetry is confessional and divulges the most intimate parts of her psyche whether through metaphor or openly, without creating a persona through which to project her feelings, and through the use of intense imagery. Plath’s attempt to purge herself of the oppressive male figures in her life is one such deeply personal and fundamental theme in her poetry. In her poem, “Daddy”, which declares her hatred for her father and husband, this attempt is expressed through language, structure, and tone. (Perkins, 591)