Hermione the housewife?(OT)

[Jen Piersol]

No: HPFGUIDX 9966

Susan said:

> My point being....that the discussion on list did not even take
> into account that the boys/men might want the choice of staying
> home...or staying home and working caring for kids and the 
> home......
> I'm all for strong female role models for kids, but children need
> strong role models of ALL genders...
> Doesn't it say something that we can't even think outside the box 
> enough about this to consider fathers as primary caregivers of 
> children?
> Before someone tells me (again) that I should deal with the real 
> world, I would suggest that HP is not exactly the real world, but
> rather a created alternate universe...

Two personal examples of this, the first one relating to the above 
quote, the second relating to the thread in general.

First, I have two friends who recently had a baby - the wife loves
her job and spends HOURS at the office after classes are over 
(college prof).  I don't think she'd ever want to stay home 
full-time with the baby, simply because her career is too much a 
part of her life to give up.  Her husband, on the other hand, 
works as a computer tech, and could take it or leave it.  He would 
LOVE to stay home with Luna (their new daughter), but sadly, they 
can't afford it.  It really makes me smile to see that these two 
have no qualms about voicing their "stay-at-home-dad" opinions.

Secondly, as someone who violently relates to Hermione, I have to 
say that I'm enjoying the "choosing to stay at home doesn't mean 
you wasted your education" comments.  In high school, I was 9th in 
my class (5th girl), received a National Merit Scholarship (based 
on Standardized testing, for non-USers), and got a HUGE 
out-of-state tuition waiver for my college.  Got my degree in 3 1/2 
years, then got married.  And I really want to stay home with my 
daughter.  The main thing that is holding me back is the nagging 
voice in my head saying, "But everyone expected you to *do* 
something with your life."  Ugh.  I really need to find a spine 
and tell everyone to go to Hades, don't I? ;)

Jen (who knows she's horribly off-topic, but can truthfully imagine
that there might be a point in time where Hermione would want to
stay home...)