The culture of affluence that surrounds us, the values it promotes and prizes—posses particular challenges for the reflective parent… While there are…advantages…there are also some real risks.
Madeline Levine
In The Price of Privilege, Madeline Levine, Ph.D. has a chapter that explains why moms need comfort.
I reread it now and then. It’s towards the end of the book. She starts with how hard motherhood is:
In a maddening paradox, the media, often aided by “experts,” idealizes motherhood while it devalues actual mothers. We are regularly scolded and chastised and warned that our smallest mistakes can have negative lifetime consequences for our children.
Dr. Levine also notes how affluent mothers have unique challenges that shouldn’t be ignored. They suffer “unexpectedly high [rates] of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, loneliness, and plain old unhappiness.”
At the same time, they are “least likely of any socioeconomic group of unhappy women to seek help for their problems.”
So, what to do? She closes the chapter by reminding us that moms need comfort, we can be compassionate towards ourselves, and …
Make sure that there is room in your life for the things that give you pleasure outside of the family.
Again, all moms need comfort.
Knitting notes
I enjoyed making an orange honey cowl as a gift years ago. So, when I found this lovely variegated yarn, I thought I’d make a blue one.
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