Wow, so many questions raised by the choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as the Republican candidate for vice president.
Which job is more important for her now, being a self-described “hockey mom” with five kids (one of them an infant with Down syndrome) or a candidate for vice president?
How is she going to handle what to us seems to be the ultimate work-family challenge? Yes, she has a demanding job already. But vice president of the United States? That’s a whole new hockey rink.
She’s like many working moms who have the opportunity to advance in their careers, but know that something is going to have to be sacrificed somewhere along the line.
Is it worth it?
Many working moms don’t have a choice, they have to work to support their families. But what about when it’s more a matter of pursuing a personal goal or ambition?
What do you think:
Would you like to be featured here and on 
It’s the decades old question and one that I still struggle with, and I can imagine women are going to struggle with for generations to come. Do I put my life on hold for my kids, or do I carry my children with me through life? I think that if it’s possible to pay someone to do all the things moms do - make lunches, do laundry, bus kids around, etc. - then do it. But make sure you have time to spend with them. Look at the homework. Read books at night. Kiss boo-boos. Listen to problems. Referee the sibling fights. Attend the games (like she apparently does… will this change if she’s elected..probably… how far is the hockey rink from the White House…?) It’s going to be a difficult balance for her — more than any man will ever have. But I say go for it, Lady. I may not vote for you, but I support you.
My baby just said “I hate you” and I said “Why? Because I’m working?” And he said “Yes…” So I have to close the laptop now and spend time with him. It’s a balance, I’m telling you. A crazy balance…. But somehow, we make it work. Am I right, ladies?
P.S. He got the “I hate you” from Finding Nemo and it stuck. Of all the cute things in that movie, THAT is what sticks…
Even posing this question it occurred to me that I wasn’t asking the same about Barack Obama or John McCain, who both have young daughters. It’s a double-standard, double-edged sword that we moms live with every day. I was rushing my son out the car this morning as I listened to Sarah Palin’s speech on the radio, knowing that it was a news story I would have to tackle once I got to work. So I was hurrying to get to work and almost forgot to tell my kiddo goodbye. I can’t imagine what it would be like to be in her shoes, or Michelle Obama’s for that matter, considering all the demands of a national political campaign.
My first reaction was, “Her baby is only 4 months old! And has special needs!” I know I had a tough time going back to work when my baby was 5 months old, and my job certainly didn’t compare to a grueling, cross-country presidential campaign followed by the possibility of 4 years as second-in-command of this country.
And no, we’re not asking these questions of Obama and McCain, but the Obamas have certainly addressed it. Michelle had to step away from her high-profile, high-paying job during the primaries, and she made it clear that she couldn’t have done all this without the constant help and presence of her own mother. They have also admitted that Baracks’ absence has been tough on the family.
McCain lived in Washington while his family stayed behind in Arizona during his 20+ years in the Senate, so we know he was a weekend dad. So while these issues may not get a lot of attention in the national media, I do take interest as a parent.
As for Palin, only she knows what she is capable of and whether or not she feels ready to tackle this ultimate test of work-life balance. I wish her all the luck in the world during these next couple of months. It certainly won’t be easy, and it’s not a choice I would have made, but it’s wonderful that we’ve gotten to a point where a working mom has that choice to make.
I also agree with Erika (and Theresa).
I don’t really look at it as a mother making a choice between family and career. I see it as a family working together to take advantage of opportunities that come their way. I don’t know much about Palin, but I would imagine that she must have a pretty strong support system at home. After all she doesn’t seem to be having any problem being a governor.
I’m with Cynthia, I’m not sure if I’ll vote for Palin, but I sure do support her.
I’m with Jenny on this one. This looks like it’s a family working together.
When is the last time we had someone in high office who actually understood the big picture of the needs of parents, marriage, children, special needs children, careers, being examples to our children, and being active citizens? I think I’d rather have Sarah and Todd Palin on my side than having Hillary and Bill deciding what is best for my family’s life.
Girlfriends – I wouldn’t even give it a second thought if McCain invited me to be his running mate. After all, isn’t that why we have nannies and housekeepers? If I were Palin I’d be contacting my stylist - time for a new wardrobe!
This question reminds me of old episodes of black and white TV shows like Donna Reed and Andy Griffith. Seems like eventually in every series of that era, the mom of the show would run for some office, school board or even city council. Then, just as she was about to be elected, she would decide that it was ’so much better to stay home and be a wife and mother.” That’s after the Beaver got a mosquito bite or sometjhing and she wasn’t there to put a BandAid on it. Or Opie got tired of eating at the diner instead of having Aunt Bee at home in the kitchen where she belonged. Well, bullcrap, this is not the 1950s, and if more women don’t get into important polticial jobs, then we will never have legislation dealing with the issues women care about most for their families. I say, go for it! And hey, McCain is old, god forbid she could find herself PRESIDENT one of these days.
I definitely think there are worse mothers in the world than Vice President of the United States. If she thinks she can do it, then she probably can; she got this far already (I mean, I doubt she was home much as governor, right?)
Of course, having respect for her as a mom and a working woman doesn’t mean I’ll vote for the duo.
Lynn,
Can you enlighten me as to how Bill and Hillary fit into this equation? Last I checked, neither of them is on the Democratic ticket this time around. I would say that the Obamas, Bidens, Palins and McCains all know a thing or two about raising young children and being working parents, although some of them have definitely had less involvement than others McCain
But since you went there, I will point out that the Clintons also had a young child when they took office, and she has grown into an educated, articulate, poised and lovely woman. So I think they did more than OK on that front.
Erika, yeah, I see what you mean. I got to thinking after I posted that I hadn’t even given thought to the fact that all the candidates have younger kids currently or have raised children while in office.
As to why I pointed out the Clintons — who are not the candidates — when I think “democrat,” Hillary and Bill are the ones who come to my mind before the Obamas.
I expect the Clintons to try to continue to be major influencers on national policies that could affect my family, and even more so if Obama wins. Hillary is not someone I hold up as a model for my daughters.
The verdict is still out as to who I will vote for. I wasn’t terribly interested in the presidential race until today.
Lynn, when I think “democrat” I think of someone who believes in or practices democracy, as the dictionary defines the lowercase use of the word. So I would think that would include all Americans, not just the Clintons. You may or may not agree with the Clintons, but how about extending the courtesy to members of the Democratic Party by calling them Democrats.
Theresa and Erika, by all means I do not wish to be offensive to my fellow Americans who are in the Democratic Party, as I would prefer they not be offensive to me. I love that we have choices here — and yes, that’s “democracy.” I’ll be sure to use upper case from now on when I’m referring to the Party or political position. Honest, Theresa, I’m not on this blog to be a troublemaker. I just responded because I’m interested in learning more about Palin, as I have a feeling I’ll be able to relate more to her than the others.
Lynn, I know you aren’t a troublemaker. You’re too nice for that. This is what civic discourse is all about. Please keep responding and commenting. With women/moms so prominent in this year’s election (whether they be candidates or the wives of candidates), there’s something for all us PAMS (Politically Aware Moms) to relate to, and that’s galvanizing.
oh come on ladies (as in the blog staff), not everyone in Orange County is a Democrat. Don’t ask for opinions and then turn around and punish those who don’t hold your political bias. i expect more from the Register than this.
I am not a mom myself, so I wouldn’t know the demands of working and being a mother. But, I do have a mother who works hard to give us children what she never had. I commend Palin for going out there and doing what so many moms cannot- following her ambitions which obviously puts family second. I have read that her 4 month old son has down syndrome. She found out early in the pregnancy which prepared her even before his birth. She is anti-abortion, so that was obviously not an option. I have also heard that on the day of the delivery, she got on a plane, flew somewhere to deliver a speech (while experiencing minor labor pains), got back on the plane, and flew back in time to give birth. She returned to work 3 days later. I might not know the kind of mother she is, but that story just goes to show that work comes before family.
Sue - I definitely agree that not everyone in OC is a Democrat; in fact, if I were going to make any assumptions, it’d be the opposite. I believe Lynn and Theresa know each other outside of this blog, so it truly is just an honest discussion. Thanks for reading and participating!
Lets say that Something would cause Palin to have to take over as the commander in chief. From the history of this womans Exective leadership role her does not scare me one bit. This person has the “grit” to do what needs to be done because its the right thing to do for the people, not for what good for the Party.
She impress’s me as the type leader who reviews the problem, seaks solutions (both pro and con) then reacts.
I’ve worked with professionals such as her for many years both in Industry and in the Military and have never been let down or left out to fend for my self when it got rough. A leader is a leader and gets the job DONE, and she has proven herself in quick order for the short time she has served the people of Alaska.
Way to go McCain, you have the team to make the correct type of changes that are needed to clean up the mess in the Beltway.
Sue, I’m not sure where any punishing is going on. As far as I can tell from every comment posted in this particular discussion, we all have been respectful of each other’s opinions.
Back to the original question of “which job is more important?” (mom or candidate), I would have to kindly disagree with Ellie on this one.
I don’t see a separation between being a good mom and providing for one’s family.
I chose a new job last year that pays a higher hourly wage, is flexible, and gives me a sense of purpose.
Is that putting work ahead of family? No. If I used up eight hours of each day working a $10-an-hour job when I’m capable of more, then I’m cheating my family.
Curt and I have three children, one with autism. I took the buyout from the Register a couple years ago specifically so I could be more available to my kids while still providing for them. I work as many hours now as I did then, but because of the flexibility, I’m involved with all my teens’ activities.
If I were in Palin’s shoes, I’d absolutely jump at the chance to make a good income for my family, have the ability to still be an involved parent, and have a position with purpose and impact.
If we tell Palin she’s wrong to do so (or tell Michelle Obama she’s wrong to do so), I think we’re sending ourselves back to the days when society believed women belonged in the kitchen. (Haha, which is funny. I can’t cook, but I can help operate an international non-profit organization … and attend all my daughter’s volleyball games.)
I think being a good parent is a separate question anyway. You either choose to be, or choose not to be, no matter what job or career you choose.
It’s not about family OR work, it’s about family AND work, which even us guys do. The decisions, on a daily basis, are how to apportion your time and effort and resources. Even if you are doing only one, you don’t always get to do everything about it that you want to.
Since Sarah Palin has a 4 month-old child after two years in office, she has obviously not eliminated one for the other.
Are you serious Bill? $85 billion dollars is missing in Iraq thanks to Republican contractors. Are you going to be discussing that anytime soon? Lobbyists and corporations are on both sides.
And the question isn’t can Sarah Palin handle this, but can her family? A son going to Iraq, a teenage pregnancy; ethics questions regarding her husband combined with a youthful DUI. Plus the fact Sarah Palin is an extreme right wing fanatic. I don’t believe she truly understands what she will be putting her family through.
Based on what I’m learning about Palin, she needs to spend MORE time with her existing brood. As I’m sure you all heard, her 17 yr old un-married daughter is knocked up and 5 months pregnant. Seems the route of teaching abstinence in her household fell on deaf ears. If you ask me, I think she’s a terrifying choice for VP with so little experience and so many other things going on in her family, I would be really concerned that she would be able to do that job. If there were a more qualified woman who has fewer obligations family-wise, then sure, my answer of course would be go for it. This pick just seems geared to appeal to a certain movement, not geared toward finding someone who can sort this mess out. Which by the way was caused by her party.