If anyone thinks that raising kids in this day and age is easy...well it would seem to me that someone does not have any children. Unless you are a very lucky parent whom has never had a bad day concerning thier kids all you can do is provide them with the best education that you can and teach them right from wrong, good from bad. Children of course get more inquisative as time progresses and will do just about anything once, and sometimes once is enough to impead them for the rest of their lives. I think that most people will agree that it does not matter what status their parents hold in society, we are all vunerable.

Amen brother! We are childless by choice and I have a tremendous respect for any parent trying to teach right from wrong. This is a difficult world to raise a child in as they are being bombarded left and right with a multitude of ideas, social pressure, drugs, sex and on and on.
People regardless of age, make mistakes. Hopefully we learn and it makes us better. Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. If this is all this girl has done she is way better than I was at that age, so I'll keep my mouth shut.

I've always believed that there are some decisions/choices that we make that make others unavailable to us. Parenting is one of those. Her status is not an issue to me; however, I question the amount of time she'll have for her children if this all goes her way. Do you just look at a five month old and say, "Well, little guy, you're set!" It absolutely is difficult to parent effectively in this day and age, especially so if your presence, attention and energy are so subdivided.

And if she was a man? "I question the amount of time he'll have for his children..." Like Rudy asked, when has that ever been asked of a man?

Anyone consider that it may have been a Family decision, and that Todd will spend a little less time Salmon fishing if she is elected?

One could also factor in that there would perhaps be staff available to assist with childcare while mum was at work?

I think this radical experiment has been tried before with some reasonable success?

Come to think of it there was a Governor from Arkansas who's wife was an Attorney and they had a kid who turned from a duckling into quite the swan?

Note to H20dog, B&G and JHill...google Chelsea's day care status and post scathing retort........

I've never understood the point of having a child and then paying someone else to raise it. Get a dog. or maybe a fish. And no, this "radical experiment" is not reasonably successful. All best-evidence studies regarding how children turn out when left to the care of someone other than parents compared to children who have the consistent presence of a fulltime parent demonstrate the detrimental impact of outside childcare to the former.

That said, I do believe, and recent studies tend to demonstrate, that as long as one parent is home fulltime there is little, if any, difference in outcome based on whether it is the mother as oppossed to the father who is present.


ps. re: Chelsea - yes, there are exceptions, but exception is exactly what they are. And do you really think Mr. Palin is going to stay home and be a fulltime dad? Is that what he did while mommy played governor?

Hey..see that folks?

this time I'm only half an idiot

Should I change my name to Eric?

her gender doesn't matter to me. i just always regret when people (boys and girls) choose to have children and then choose a lifestyle that doesn't support their best parenting-selves. just my opinion.

Are you referring to the horrible comment John McCain made about Chelsea Clinton's appearance? If she were an adult when this statement was made, open season but he said it about a child which is simply inexcusable and cruel. I can't imagine that anyone, regardless of their politics, would think that is okay. Please tell me that you do not see humor in that comment.

Wow. If I had said this about any woman in a powerful and time consuming position, I would have been attacked non-stop for my statement. Mostly by my wife...

The "mommy playing governor" type comments are really going to get a lot of women defending Palin. Not the ideologues, but most women are not ideologues.

Not at all B&G: I do not advocate personal attacks against family by anyone for anyone.

Chelsea was cared for while Hillary and Bill were both working* or at least not home!

I don't know if you saw her at Hillary's speech last week but she turned out to be very hot, much to my surprise and maybe a few others too. The point was that Todd would not be Salmon fishing quite as much in Washington, and if the concept of equality is ever to gain traction, then it is simply outrageous to designate "womens" roles to a female who doesn't fit the Naral mold or ideal of how to achieve success or career advancement?

*lets just go with working so as not to get sidetracked !

My comment did not pertain to "any woman in a powerful and time consuming position." It pertained to a woman who consistently holds herself out as the mother of five children - one with "special needs" - and has publically pledged to support and help raise her grandchild to be. Thus the "mommy title." Additionally, she now has demonstrated she has limited experience in public office and even less in any real decision making. Thus the "playing governor" portion of the comment.

You know, deadserious,"most women" aren't any one thing. However, your repeated insistance that they are is a more than adequate illustration of one of the biggest problems the republican party is presently facing.

OK, LA then by that reasoning the only way this country would ever have a woman as Prez or VP is if she were a widow, divorcee or dyke?
Oh wait....too old, kids grown up and gone............Hey....that should have been Hillary!

So if I understand some of the comments correctly, a woman can only be VP or Pres if she has no children or is older and has already raised a family. Talk about a double standard. That sets women back. Oddly it seems more females are of this opinion than males or that is my impression as I do not know all posters gender. And where is it proven that a woman should be the primary caregiver? I do not question the nuturing qualities of a mother. But if BHO can be away from home while he has 2 very young children it only seems that SP can be away while she has a husband and older children to care for her family. I am not taking sides, as I am looking from the outside in both windows.

I think I had just stated that most women aren't any one thing. So I'm confused by your statement.

rykat, you must learn to read all the way to the bottom of a post before jumping in.

Now go back and read my second paragraph, apply all of the reasoning skills you have (despite what many believe, I know you actually have some ) and see if you can't perhaps come to a just slightly different conclusion.

amen

2 aggies - ditto to my last post to rykat, except in your case I'm not so sure about whether you possess reasoning skills

yeah sure you edited and added that

My conclusion is:
God is Love
Love is blind
Ray Charles was blind
Ray Charles was God

How's that LA.............

LA - so I don't type so fast. As to whether you know what skills I possess you are awfully quick to attack someone you know nothing about. This is a great example of how these threads turn mean.

You, mr. not-really-all-that-serious, appear to be confused by a great many things. My point, broken down into the very most simple terms I can manage, is that when speaking about beliefs and practices, you cannot begin any sentence with "most women" and expect that it will be accurate.

I'd tutor you on the concept of double negatives, but fear it would only confuse you further - either due to my inability to avoid sarcasm or your inability to apply logic.

2aggies, check my profile and you'll note I'm the first to admit that I am a smartass. I'm pretty used to teasing around here and to being teased back. most of the time we all see it for what it is - but every once in a while one of us takes offense or gets our feelings hurt. If that's how my smartass comment affected you, please accept my apology, because I certainly didn't mean anything beyond teasing by it.

JC, slow down willya!

"most women" is a double negative? OK Ill buy that

LA - It takes more than that to offend me. Smiles everyone. I have checked your profile and would look to apply for a Texas based franchise. I have been reading these threads awhile and only felt the need to jump in. No offense taken and thank you for your kind reply.

elephant skin coat needed when dueling with LA

lol 2aggies, Look around - you'll see I don't hold the franchise! Join the club!

ry, please tell me that was not a comment on my fashion sense! :P

If he'd said Elephant proof, I'd have stuck up for you

you've adapted, pug -

You may want to point out to 2aggies that you'll only apologize until you get to know him better, and from then on its an a*s-kicking all the way

LA - boy don't I know it. Ms. 2Aggies isn't on this board or you would know I live with a Pro SmartAss 24/7. That and there cannot be small children in our house during an Aggie football game. She owns rights to cuss words you've never heard. (due to the fact we seemed to always be getting outscored these days) I have my beer fridge to ease the pain.

Therein lies the rub. My husband is a very engaged father to our son. For the first half of my son's life, my husband was in a primary parenting role and as much as it kills me to say it, I think his parenting skills are superior to mine. Not that I suck at it but he is just a pretty awesome Dad.
I would never have thought there would be a situation where I would be on the " what the hell is she thinking" bandwagon regarding a female candidate but here I am. Parenting in the best of situations is tough but adding on a pregnant high school age daughter who has now been thrust into the limelight and a newborn with serious developmental challenges...I think she has bigger fish to fry.
I guess the point is that sometimes we feel that we have enlightened positions and mindsets and then a situation comes along that challenges them. This is the one for me and I'm not too thrilled or proud of it.

Pug - read my post about the Aggie football games and realize I am used to getting my ass kicked. LOL . We gotta laugh cause it hurts so much. We have beat the hell outta t.u. the last 2 years though. :>)

B&G - I understand and it is up to each of us to weigh all of the pro and cons of every candidate and make our decisions. Hopefully whoever we, as a nation, select will make decisions that are in our countries best interst. No matter who it is nearly half of America will be critical.
My aplogies for digressing from the point of this thread.

2aggies, the mrs sounds like my kinda gal - she and i should get together and compare notes on profanities - I know lots, in several languages!

well, thanks, pug - now you've gone and spoiled everything

B&G, why couldn't Mr. Palin do as well as Ms. Palin in parenting? I don't think he will stay home fulltime, but that's a different topic.

I got here late, but as far as I'm concerned, I don't care how she chooses to raise her children. I'm a single father of 4 kids and I made my choices on how to do it, so I'm sure they will.

Well, you know, I did bite my tongue on the Mr. Mom comments because I love the gals that are commenting.

BUT. I happen to know quite a few Mr. Mom's that are kicking ass and taking names.

Who are we to define the new millenium family structure. You gotta go with what works best for you and your family.

And in Sarah's case, your country.

I've been at a couple of SMU vs Aggie games back in the 80's

Had a sign saying "Culture vs Agriculture"