Noble Profession I: Mother

The first profession I'd like to consider is that of mother, because the themes explored will carry through the discussion of many other professions. I had the advantage of a stay-at-home mom, who was indeed such a successful mother that I think my parents should consider becoming foster parents. I certainly saw being a mother, especially to multiple children, is a full-time job. Our health, happiness, self-assurance and academic success can be directly linked to our mother being home for us. The toughest years for my siblings were years when my mother worked part-time. I also the great advantage I held over classmates whose mother's worked, or whose parents were divorced. So I strongly feel that if possible, I should stay at home for children if I have them.

But being a full time mother doesn't interest me for many reasons. The constant running around, the fighting with irrational beings, the lack of intelligent discourse, the bad daytime television, and hatred of household chores are all good reasons not to be a stay-at-home mom. But the greatest reason I cannot desire to be a stay-at-home mom is because it values the child's life over my own. It puts greater importance upon their education and success than the mother's own life.

Recently, an undergrad I work with told me about a conversation he had with his mother on the related child-raising topic. His mother is already bothering him about finding the right girl to settle down with and have children. When he told his mother that he didn't think he wanted to have children, his mother broke out the old "but what if your children cure cancer?" argument. His rather predictable, yet nonetheless withering reply was, "but what if your child is the one that does it?"

I have to much respect and regard for myself (that's the nice way of saying that I'm selfish) to devote my life solely to other people. Clearly this will have a big impact upon what noble profession I can choose.

With regards to having children, it is too complicated an issue for me to know my own mind. If I want a career, and I want a husband with a traditional (not stay-at-home) career who is possibly even more financially successful than I, I also do not want to be such a selfish parent that I drag my child around the world behind me, or abandon them to the care of others as so often occurs in literature.