As much as I hate to bring up the mommy wars (oy, can we think of a better term already?) it’s been a good few weeks of reading articles, thinking about articles, thinking about magazine covers, thinking about responses to articles and magazine covers, starting to write–then hesitating to write–my own articles in response.

I haven’t written any magazine covers either. Yet.

As seasoned journalist Anna Quindlen said when I asked her whether there was such a thing as a mommy war (and I paraphrase) she suggested that each one starts in the newsroom of a publication desperate for viewers and page views.

In other words, we agree that outrage is good for ratings.

However I’ve been thinking, there’s a truth to the teeny spark of insecurity that lies deep within any of us, or else there would be no spark to be flamed. No need for defensiveness. No need for attacks. No need for some crazy woman on my Huffington Post article to suggest that moms who stay home full time are superior because ” I don’t want some stranger to teach my child values my family doesn’t agree with” and  “our homes are clean and our children are well cared for.” Continue reading →