Dr. Laura:
It bothers me how clueless and selfish so many women are today. I had one of the greatest moms ever. I was the last of eight children and she stayed home to raise every one of us. She wasn't poisoned by feminist nonsense. We were deprived of many material things and were considered poor, but we were definitely not poor in spirit. My dad worked hard as a laborer but made only enough money to keep a roof over our heads with light and heat. We survived on hand-me-down clothes from neighboring families and a kind grocer who let my mother buy food on credit. We were on our own when it came to getting college educations, and five of us did get to go. My dad supplemented his income by working as a drummer in a small band, and my mom made a little money as the church organist. Yet even in poverty, my mother gave to other poor people.
There are ways to survive, but you must be willing to be unselfish. We did it. We kids earned money as soon as we were old enough. If you have a close-knit and loving family, like we did, with a mother at home holding down the fort, it's surprising how good life can be. It wasn't perfect, and we got accustomed to making sacrifices, even as children. We learned to prepare for the future knowing we had to work for what we needed and wanted. We couldn't afford a turkey for Thanksgiving or Christmas, but we had enough to eat otherwise. We got through being poor, but I think it's far worse to have no love in a home or to be a child raised by a stranger. I'd live my life all over again the same way if I had to.
When I think of the word Mom, I think of MY mom, my wife, and her sister. All three raised their children themselves and pursued careers when the kids were grown.
Steve
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