General Discussion

tblue

(16,350 posts)

77. Mother's Day was started by mothers

Sun May 12, 2013, 12:14 AM

May 2013

in response to all the deaths of their sons in the Civil War. It's continued because housewives, lots of whom are mothers, have these difficult thankless jobs, and somebody wanted to remedy that, at least for one day a year. Do non-moms work thankless jobs too? Of course. So do a lot of men. I like Ann Lamott, but this piece is a little overthunk, IMHO. If women feel badly that they aren't mothers, then it can be a sad day. I get that of couse. If women choose not to have children, I guess some might not want to see children and mothers enjoy a holiday based on something they don't desired. But it seems kinda odd that anyone would begrudge others celebrating people they love. Maybe we need more holidays for more categories of people so no one feels left out.

It's not that I don't see the point Ann Lamott is making. It's just I don't see why she wants no one else to celebrate Mother!'s Day. If you do, great. If you don't, that's great too. There are many things people have that I'd like to have and don't, but does that mean they should hide their happiness so it doesn't bother me? Heck no. I wouldn't even want that.

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The great lie about women... [View all] loyalsister May 2013 OP

Is that true for Father's Day as well? nt Bonobo May 2013 #1

Father's day LostOne4Ever May 2013 #6

Sad, but... Bonobo May 2013 #11

Good point loyalsister May 2013 #34

And Mother's Day was dictated on Mt Sinai? Bluenorthwest May 2013 #16

if William Jackson Smart was from Arkansas hfojvt May 2013 #82

not much newer than mother's day. and mother's day also an artificial holiday to make money. HiPointDem May 2013 #113

we would all be interested to read such an article on father's day, when you find it. niyad May 2013 #7

Oh. Bonobo May 2013 #8

I don't know loyalsister May 2013 #14

Yes. smirkymonkey May 2013 #80

Very good question. As a life long bachelor, I'll weigh in WhaTHellsgoingonhere May 2013 #109

k and r for a most interesting read!! niyad May 2013 #2

Thanks loyalsister May 2013 #15

This part rings true for me: Awknid May 2013 #41

Then they have never had a dog. smirkymonkey May 2013 #96

how could anyone know the statistical number of a secret held, and not shared? seabeyond May 2013 #100

I have no kids... a la izquierda May 2013 #3

I LOVE "drink and watch TV" days Skittles May 2013 #22

Yeah, it's been tough. a la izquierda May 2013 #89

Happy Drink and Watch TV Day... awoke_in_2003 May 2013 #58

Thanks. a la izquierda May 2013 #88

Are there cards for that? panader0 May 2013 #98

There should be... awoke_in_2003 May 2013 #106

Cheers! smirkymonkey May 2013 #81

or, it's just a day for those that do instead of for those who don't nt msongs May 2013 #4

I never looked at Mother's Day in that way. Buzz Clik May 2013 #5

Obviously that not the explicit intention loyalsister May 2013 #10

There's the theory (probably proven) that the idea of witches has to do with post-menopausal Boomerproud May 2013 #18

Another theory loyalsister May 2013 #23

Only a small portion of the population is "fixated" on pro-life issues. n/t pnwmom May 2013 #36

The point is to offer some explanation loyalsister May 2013 #39

I hate the term "miracle of child birth"... awoke_in_2003 May 2013 #62

The miracle Is that we can survive it. bravenak May 2013 #76

I've always noticed Awknid May 2013 #47

And loyalsister May 2013 #60

More than once I've heard in one form or another, "You don't have children; sarge43 May 2013 #86

Really! Lydia Leftcoast May 2013 #104

I agree BainsBane May 2013 #29

very nice. A good daughter. Buzz Clik May 2013 #35

I'm also a childless woman. tammywammy May 2013 #50

Mother's Day was started by mothers tblue May 2013 #77

Very elegantly stated. Buzz Clik May 2013 #78

I have a daughter Dorian Gray May 2013 #87

I have a mother. She is 88. MineralMan May 2013 #9

I guess Birthdays are saying those who were born that day are more important than those who aren't? uppityperson May 2013 #12

Um...Apples and oranges. EVERYONE gets a birthday, and so gets to celebrate a holiday-- Moonwalk May 2013 #72

"It should go without saying that I also hate Valentine’s Day." cherokeeprogressive May 2013 #13

Thank you! That is right in the gold Demeter May 2013 #43

there's joy in Valentine's Day? hfojvt May 2013 #83

I'm so sick of these snarky, cynical articles. GreenEyedLefty May 2013 #17

What a baffling and needless article. Number23 May 2013 #19

Being a mother doesnt just mean having children.......people mother pets.....spouses... Gin May 2013 #20

Good point loyalsister May 2013 #24

I celebrate mother's day with all the motherly people I know, it's not about biology. freshwest May 2013 #40

Great post. nt raccoon May 2013 #92

I don't have kids and I don't see it that way Skittles May 2013 #21

I don't have kids either loyalsister May 2013 #26

Every single one of us has a mother boston bean May 2013 #25

+1 October May 2013 #38

unless myself is a mother hfojvt May 2013 #85

+1 redqueen May 2013 #101

...and secretaries' day... cyberswede May 2013 #27

This message was self-deleted by its author RobertEarl May 2013 #28

To each his own I guess, but I don't agree. Avalux May 2013 #30

I don't think the author is calling for activism loyalsister May 2013 #33

Geez, that first paragraph is more telling than the entire article... cynatnite May 2013 #31

Too bad there wasn't a sarcasm tag in the article loyalsister May 2013 #32

You are right. n/t cynatnite May 2013 #44

Yeah, lot of pain leaking out there. Save hate for mosquitoes, that's my motto. freshwest May 2013 #42

Some mosquitoes are mothers too, you know. klook May 2013 #71

Yup, they need extra blood for reproduction. Sorry. Smack! freshwest May 2013 #73

But they are more important Politicalboi May 2013 #37

Right Awknid May 2013 #52

Here, here! I have no children and probably too old to have any. Mother's Day reminds me that I am a Liberal_Stalwart71 May 2013 #45

It's like Boston Bean said - mercymechap May 2013 #54

They're lucky to have a Mom like you! Happy Mother's Day!! Liberal_Stalwart71 May 2013 #56

Thank You! mercymechap May 2013 #69

I can't bear the thought of what my sister will go through tomorrow graywarrior May 2013 #46

I hate the Olympics too. Nye Bevan May 2013 #48

Basically BeyondGeography May 2013 #55

Different treestar May 2013 #63

The common thread is that we all had a mother WHEN CRABS ROAR May 2013 #49

Laughable BeyondGeography May 2013 #51

Exactly FBaggins May 2013 #59

Geez, not everything is a mercymechap May 2013 #53

no the great lie we celebrate is that we value mothers La Lioness Priyanka May 2013 #57

I don't think those facts are unrecognized by reasonable people loyalsister May 2013 #65

i think they are very much unrecognized by most people La Lioness Priyanka May 2013 #67

I suppose one could argue that most people aren't reasonable. loyalsister May 2013 #68

Good point. nt raccoon May 2013 #93

should I cancel my plans with Mom for tomorrow? arely staircase May 2013 #61

Call her and tell her that she's no more important than anyone else. Orrex May 2013 #99

yeah, no kidding arely staircase May 2013 #107

Britta from Community can tell you all about it! TampaAnimusVortex May 2013 #64

Those with children are not more important than those without treestar May 2013 #66

I've heard about 7 or 8 variations on this theme today gollygee May 2013 #70

I think there's a distinction between "important" and "valued" loyalsister May 2013 #75

What a sad way to look at things. kickysnana May 2013 #74

I just visited my friends tonight who are parents BrotherIvan May 2013 #79

Mother's day Sucks. Lady Freedom Returns May 2013 #84

Sorry that is happening to you, esp. what your father said to you, that was cruel. raccoon May 2013 #94

I'm always glad that I did not have kids. roody May 2013 #97

I am willfully barren loyalsister May 2013 #114

Haters gotta hate, I guess Seeking Serenity May 2013 #90

Is that wholly a lie? Donald Ian Rankin May 2013 #91

Hormones during gestation and lactation change mom's brains FarCenter May 2013 #95

I like a lot about Anne Lamott but I think this is absurd. nolabear May 2013 #102

Oh god LittleBlue May 2013 #103

You're completely missing the point of the article... shcrane71 May 2013 #108

You're right. We would never celebrate fathers being good at raising kids LittleBlue May 2013 #110

I have always been amazed loyalsister May 2013 #111

What do you want? LittleBlue May 2013 #117

A civil conversation maybe? loyalsister May 2013 #119

Thank you. It is impossible to have a civil conversation with shcrane71 May 2013 #121

Anne Lamott needs some context. LWolf May 2013 #105

and does father's day say the same about men? stupid article. HiPointDem May 2013 #112

I have notidea loyalsister May 2013 #116

Maybe it's not about celebrating you. It's about celebrating your mom. n/t lumberjack_jeff May 2013 #115

I don't think anyone has or would loyalsister May 2013 #118

Spoiled much? GeorgeGist May 2013 #120

Our nation should do more than declaring a working holiday to help women shcrane71 May 2013 #122

Absolutely loyalsister May 2013 #123

I disagree - it is intended to celebrate your mother, not yourself LeftishBrit Nov 2013 #124