Ohh Baby...

I was in an interesting conversation yesterday with another stay at home mom. She's a good friend of mine so we don't mind sharing political views among other personal decisions. Of course both of us had something to say about Sarah Palin. It was unfortunate that neither of us had anything good to say because I have always tried to find ONE nice thing to say. I couldn't even compliment Sarah on her hair... I'm sure she's a very nice woman. I imagine I would warmly welcome her into my social circle should she desire to knit, tie dye, bake, read, and hike as we SAHM up here in Maine do. The conversation turned toward the opinions many people have over stay-at-home-moms. Both of us have experienced various responses when people meet us and ask what we do. Usually I reply, "I stay at home with my son, Cash." Almost every response to that statement is, "Ohhh. What did you used to do?" as though it must have been more important than what I am doing now. My friend and I have both come to the conclusion that while being a stay at home mom was once the norm it is now looked at as something you do for one of three reasons: a) you are spoiled and your husband must have a REALLY cush job, b) you have no skills so you stay at home and get pregnant to fill your day, c) you're "one of those" femmes that chooses to stay at home to stick it to the man because it's your right to choose. Obviously none of those reasons were factored into my decision to stay with Cash. It was just something that was more important to me than anything else so I made it happen. Had I been lucky enough to live near family who could take Cash a few days a week I would absolutely been back to work by now. Since that's not an option and I refuse to let strangers teach Cash their ideas during his most impressionable years I choose to stay at home. It works for us. It's as simple as that.
While this conversation was turning we noticed that every generation tends to do the opposite of the last. My great grandmothers fought for equality in the workplace and wanted to work alongside the men; my grandmother's generation typically wanted to stay at home and raise a family; my mother's generation fought for equality in the workplace and finally broke through the glass ceiling that was the early 80's yet also pulled together the family like none other; my generation looks to stay at home and make the raising of children the top priority (this is simply the observation we came to, you're entitled to your opinion). So we have a flip flop of generations and ALSO conservatives and liberals.
Now I can get back to Sarah Palin. The arguement recently from the conservatives who are usually the largest stay-at-home-motherhood advocates are saying that Sarah Palin's role as a mother in no way hampers her ability to lead the country. My liberal friends who are usually the group standing behind a woman wanting to "do it all" in the home and workplace are shouting war cries about Palin's ability to care for her special needs child as well as a child carrying a child (Hello! Someone should have had the seat-belt talk in the Palin household!) while she steps up to help govern the best nation in the world. Anyone else confused here?

My question to all of us here for a light debate is this:

Where do we draw the line with the importance of family and duty to our work? Is she less suited for the presidency because she has a large family that will obviously need her?

More power to her for even trying. I couldn't even make an appointment to have my hair done when Cash was 4 months old; the Vice-Presidency would have been seriously out of the question!