Dads Need Not Apply

A month or so ago, I took a swipe at a book called "Happy Housewives," by Darla Shine, based on this blogger's take on Shine. I had a very pleasant exchange with Darla Shine herself, in which she accused me -- quite rightly -- as tarring her ideas without ever reading the tome. I assured her that I'd go back and read the book and apologize if I took her out of context.

I have no reason to apologize. I do sympathize with Shine's broadest effort -- to improve the lives of at-home mothers -- but I'll renew my general opposition to her throwback happiness-through-housework and husbands-are-all-about-sex approach. And, of course, I'll say again what I've said here before, and what I've said to Shine: men are no worse equipped to raise children than women. Sure, some fathers (and some mothers) are less interested in the gig, but we're all capable of being good, loving, capable educational parents. No dad is born a doofus.

Naturally, I'm also opposed to any effort to cut at-home moms off from at-home dads (and I'm no big fan of cutting at-home parents from working parents, eithers). We're all working toward the same goals, regardless of how we get there. Parents are parents, no matter their gender or employment status. Shine is evidently massively against that as well. She just re-launched her website at darlashine.com. Here's the pitch:

Become a Member.
You need to be a SAHM
If you are one, you know what that means
...
Is this exclusionary? YOU BETCHA!

Yup. Just what we need. More balkanization of parents.