February 26, 2016
Surrogate Mommies

A friend of mine, who is a working mom, posted this comment of praise and gratitude to her nanny/babysitter on Facebook:  

"Thank you so much for loving and caring for our boy.  We would be lost without you."

These kinds of comments still always shock me, but it also infuriates me that working moms brag about how great daycare is for their kids.  Now we're elevating daycare providers to the status of mother!  I know of several women who share this belief - one told me that she's pregnant for the first time, but has no intention of staying home or taking care of her child.  Another person I know had a child, went back to work, and sent her child to live with her mother full time!  She visited the child on the weekends!

Even though they all say things like, "Well, we ARE Moms," I want to shake them and say: "NO.  I am a mother; you are a surrogate!" 

 I'm now pregnant with my third child and cannot imagine someone else nurturing my children.  I don't want a stranger telling me of their milestones or cuddling them when they're sick.  Being a mom is the hardest thing I've ever done, but it's also most rewarding.  I carried them for 9 months and pushed them out of my body.  To hand them over to a stranger and miss out on everything is downright abandonment.

My Mom gave me a copy of your book "In Praise of Stay-At-Home Moms" when I was pregnant with my first, and now I pass it on to every mom-to-be who needs encouragement. Thank you for always being the voice in our heads advocating for kids to have their moms.  Your determination to give as many kids as possible their moms back keeps me going.  You're my hero!

Shirley


Posted by Staff at 10:59 AM