Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Mothering Internships

I think motherhood should require an internship. For the sanity of the mother and the safety of her future children it should be a requirement before a woman becomes pregnant. And why not? The democrats are already on their way to making life how it is in Lois Lowery's The Giver, so they should be able to manage a motherhood internship soon.

There are internships for most other jobs/careers, or at least a learning period where someone takes you by the hand and shows you what your job entails. Before you teach, you student teach. Before you are left on the sales floor, you shadow someone. Before you get your own medical practice you work with other doctors, learning at their side what the daily grind will be like.

Why wasn't I offered an motherhood internship? I babysat a lot as a preteen and teenager and even did what I would almost consider being a nanny one summer since I was there from sun up past sun down and was expected to teach them Japanese (a language I don't even speak). But still, watching someone's kid for a couple hours, or watching a movie in their house while their kids sleep, or even carting their kids around for a few days a week one summer doesn't compare to actually taking care of with children 24/7 for years.

Maybe we could go with some kind of simulation, like with those video games that make you feel like you're actually in the game. We could create a simulator that makes you feel like you're so tired you could collapse, but have to make oatmeal for three kids who don't want it, get it on their school clothes, and then all over the table, chairs, and floor. Then there could be another one where you are in a relay race to get the kids to school, dance lessons, swimming lessons, and back home in time to make dinner with only two-thirds of the ingredients you need. Is it possible for the simulation to start off making you feel like you've gone through five years of sleep deprivation? I think it should. It would make the whole thing more realistic.



Is it possible to simulate love?

I doubt it. Not love like this.

7 comments:

Kristine said...

There aren't motherhood internships because if there were there wouldn't be many mothers in the end. Especially because you can't simulate that love a mom has for her children or vice versa.

Now I am off to break up another fight and it is only 8am.

The Elledges said...

man...it has been one of those days, or should i say weeks for me to. stomping and screaming, teething and tired (not to mention whiny), juice spills and cracker crumb construction zones, and of course, what bad day wouldn't be complete without diaper overflows and you know what all over the floor/furniture.

just thought i'd air all of my complaints here on your blog :) thanks!!!

i feel better already

Jess said...

good point, kellie.. good point..

Summer said...

HaHaHa! Great post!

Melanie said...

Love this post, Kellie. But then again, that's nothing new.

Leanne said...

I was going to say, if there really were motherhood internships there would be a WHOLE lot less mommies out there. Good one Kellie!

rachel said...

I babysat so much growing up, I really thought I would be a natural...I had NO clue. This was a great post :)