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Seriously? Have you NOT heard of the mommy wars? Do you not realize that 50 years ago moms didn't worry about/brag about their 3 yo reading. Do you not realize that something like 90% of moms of 4 yo's today are convinced their child is gifted? Do you not realize that it's now the norm to over schedule your child in activity after activity lest they fall behind somehow? Do you not realize that mothers hover over the classroom now where they didn't even go near it in the 60's (seriously, we NEVER had mothers in the classroom when I was in school. If mom ever went to the school you knew you were in deep chit.)
If you remember the 60's and you compare it to now, it's, painfully obvious that motherhood has become a competitive sport. Please note I am not the one who coined the phrase mompetition and momolympics. Do you, seriously, think I'm making this up and someone just made up the terms to help with my argument? These terms did not exist 50 years ago. They're new terms for a new phenomena. They describe competitive motherhood which, unfortunatley, is the norm. I'm a teacher and I have lots of teacher friends who can tell you the same thing. We see it every day.
What I am hearing is a lot of anecdotes, a lot of "don't you see it's obvious?," and a lot of "NOW there's a word for it" but what I am not hearing is a lot of evidence that it is more than a set of attributions and vague co-occurences that some people subscribe to as being normative of current parenting as opposed to something that has existed, that now has a fancy name, and societal shifts. Until it is more than anecdotes, my anecdotes are just as good as anyone else's. Incidentally, there are quite a few posters here who are saying their experience with mommy wars and mompetition IRL is very minimal. I can pull out my teacher friends' experiences, too, if you'd like, but I don't think that will get us anywhere, as I suspect we just see the world very differently.
Seriously? Have you NOT heard of the mommy wars? Do you not realize that 50 years ago moms didn't worry about/brag about their 3 yo reading. Do you not realize that something like 90% of moms of 4 yo's today are convinced their child is gifted? Do you not realize that it's now the norm to over schedule your child in activity after activity lest they fall behind somehow? Do you not realize that mothers hover over the classroom now where they didn't even go near it in the 60's (seriously, we NEVER had mothers in the classroom when I was in school. If mom ever went to the school you knew you were in deep chit.)
If you remember the 60's and you compare it to now, it's, painfully obvious that motherhood has become a competitive sport. Please note I am not the one who coined the phrase mompetition and momolympics. Do you, seriously, think I'm making this up and someone just made up the terms to help with my argument? These terms did not exist 50 years ago. They're new terms for a new phenomena. They describe competitive motherhood which, unfortunatley, is the norm. I'm a teacher and I have lots of teacher friends who can tell you the same thing. We see it every day.
And you DO realize that the public schools in inner cities ASK the parents to volunteer because they don't have the money for paid staff, and that it can make the difference between a low performing school and a good school? That it has nothing to do with mompetition, and everything to do with making sure the kids can read?
Seriously? Have you NOT heard of the mommy wars? Do you not realize that 50 years ago moms didn't worry about/brag about their 3 yo reading. Do you not realize that something like 90% of moms of 4 yo's today are convinced their child is gifted? Do you not realize that it's now the norm to over schedule your child in activity after activity lest they fall behind somehow? Do you not realize that mothers hover over the classroom now where they didn't even go near it in the 60's (seriously, we NEVER had mothers in the classroom when I was in school. If mom ever went to the school you knew you were in deep chit.)
If you remember the 60's and you compare it to now, it's, painfully obvious that motherhood has become a competitive sport. Please note I am not the one who coined the phrase mompetition and momolympics. Do you, seriously, think I'm making this up and someone just made up the terms to help with my argument?
It's dead end. Drop it here.
In classical style, when reasonable arguments have been exhausted, they dare you to come up with "empirical studies" so they can be convinced of your "opinion".
If the phenomenon didn't exist and wasn't quite prevalent, Google wouldn't offer 8510 results when you type in the term.
But it's not "lack of studies" that prevents these forumers from "buying it".
It is the reflection in the mirror. After all, you are conversing with individuals who extoll the virtues of the "my-child-is-an-honor-student" bumper sticker, all while telling the world to "cope" if the world finds them tacky.
If others have something else new to add to the discussion, I guess it can continue.
If not...someone was right, I guess we have all been free to debate the issue as we see it.
It has been done.
It's dead end. Drop it here.
In classical style, when reasonable arguments have been exhausted, they dare you to come up with "empirical studies" so they can be convinced of your "opinion".
If the phenomenon didn't exist and wasn't quite prevalent, Google wouldn't offer 8510 results when you type in the term.
But it's not "lack of studies" that prevents these forumers from "buying it".
It is the reflection in the mirror. After all, you are conversing with individuals who extoll the virtues of the "my-child-is-an-honor-student" bumper sticker, all while telling the world to "cope" if the world finds them "tacky".
If others have something else new to add to the discussion, I guess it can continue.
If not...someone was right, I guess we have all been free to debate the issue as we see it.
It has been done.
I can write a book or a blog on just about anything, as can you or anyone else. I only asked for links to this phenomenon that is rampant in social sciences publications as you had mentioned it is rampant in social science publications. If we are all just in the land of opinion, than mine is as valid as yours and anyone else's, and the chat has been interesting. If you have something more than opinion, I am all ears.
ETA: If you want to see google really generate some links, try googling "alien abductions in the US"
Last edited by eastwesteastagain; 09-23-2012 at 07:22 PM..
It's dead end. Drop it here.
In classical style, when reasonable arguments have been exhausted, they dare you to come up with "empirical studies" so they can be convinced of your "opinion".
If the phenomenon didn't exist and wasn't quite prevalent, Google wouldn't offer 8510 results when you type in the term.
But it's not "lack of studies" that prevents these forumers from "buying it".
It is the reflection in the mirror. After all, you are conversing with individuals who extoll the virtues of the "my-child-is-an-honor-student" bumper sticker, all while telling the world to "cope" if the world finds them "tacky".
If others have something else new to add to the discussion, I guess it can continue.
If not...someone was right, I guess we have all been free to debate the issue as we see it.
It has been done.
And it doesn't occur to you that people love to blow things out of all proportion just so they can sell books?
Or that it makes for an interesting social studies lecture?
I think it's hysterical that of the very people you continually rail against, you yourself are one if the finest examples of the genre - the over driven, highly anxious, comparison seeking, child pushing, over achieving Mom. Your excuse is that it's a competitive world. But you're just the same, all the same.
For those interested, an article with solid arguments against the larger idea of "competition". Unfortunately, the system is imbued with it and there is little average Joes can do to simply opt out of it. This is not about mompetition per se, but it is related.
For those interested, an article with solid arguments against the larger idea of "competition". Unfortunately, the system is imbued with it and there is little average Joes can do to simply opt out of it.
But you won't "opt out" of it will you? Because you're not the "average Joe"....right? You want "more" for your kids...it's just when everyone else does too that it's an issue.
Seriously? Have you NOT heard of the mommy wars? Do you not realize that 50 years ago moms didn't worry about/brag about their 3 yo reading. Do you not realize that something like 90% of moms of 4 yo's today are convinced their child is gifted? Do you not realize that it's now the norm to over schedule your child in activity after activity lest they fall behind somehow? Do you not realize that mothers hover over the classroom now where they didn't even go near it in the 60's (seriously, we NEVER had mothers in the classroom when I was in school. If mom ever went to the school you knew you were in deep chit.)
If you remember the 60's and you compare it to now, it's, painfully obvious that motherhood has become a competitive sport. Please note I am not the one who coined the phrase mompetition and momolympics. Do you, seriously, think I'm making this up and someone just made up the terms to help with my argument? These terms did not exist 50 years ago. They're new terms for a new phenomena. They describe competitive motherhood which, unfortunatley, is the norm. I'm a teacher and I have lots of teacher friends who can tell you the same thing. We see it every day.
My mom had friends who did this. Not a lot, but I can think of one mom in particular. It was just her way. We kids are in our 30's and 40's now, so it has been going on with this type of mom for decades. The things she bragged about didn't stop with her kids, either. It was her vacations, her interior decorating, etc. It was just her personality. When it came to the kids, maybe it wasn't reading at 3 years old, but it was whatever it was at the time. Was your child "gifted?" what percentile did they score on the standardized test? There have always been standards. There have always been competitive moms. There have always been moms who brag. I see nothing that says it is a new phenomenon.
And it doesn't occur to you that people love to blow things out of all proportion just so they can sell books?
Your excuse is that it's a competitive world. But you're just the same, all the same.
If my child is living in a competitive world, I will support him in his attempts to survive it.
Not going to apologize for this.
This and mouthy mompetition - two different things.
Your excuse is that it's a competitive world. But you're just the same, all the same.
If my child is living in a competitive world, I will support him in his attempts to survive it.
Not going to apologize for this.
This and mouthy mompetition - two different things.
In HIS attempts? Really? His attempts or YOUR attempts? You've said yourself, he's perfectly happy playing Legos. You're the one pushing him to read for pleasure (his or yours?) at 7 even though a plethora of posters have told you this isn't typical for boys of that age.
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These terms did not exist 50 years ago. They're new terms for a new phenomena. They describe competitive motherhood which, unfortunatley, is the norm. I'm a teacher and I have lots of teacher friends who can tell you the same thing. We see it every day.
Incidentally, there are quite a few posters here who are saying their experience with mommy wars and mompetition IRL is very minimal. I can pull out my teacher friends' experiences, too, if you'd like, but I don't think that will get us anywhere, as I suspect we just see the world very differently. 
If we are all just in the land of opinion, than mine is as valid as yours and anyone else's, and the chat has been interesting. If you have something more than opinion, I am all ears.
