September 5, 2008 11:04 AM
Martha Sears endorses Sarah Palin
Martha forwarded me a reply she sent to someone involved in Attachment Parenting who asked her what she thought about Dr. Laura's negative take on Sarah Palin's candidacy.
In addition to being the mother of 8 - including a son with Down syndrome - Martha is wife of Dr. William Sears and author/co-author of many books which have helped parents bond properly with their children.
Her answer may surprise you:
Thanks, ______, interesting. A couple of things: Baby Trig is now 5 ½ months old, not a newborn. Babies with Down syndrome tend to be raised by their families, not just the parents, when there are plenty of older children available.My older children, even Matt who was 4 at the time of Stephen's birth, have learned a LOT from having Stephen to "help raise" and from having Stephen contribute them as they found out what unconditional love is. Matt will probably be choosing his life's work based on his experience being Stephen's older brother/playmate/part time guardian. Lauren got involved in this "raising", too, once she was old enough, 6 or 7, to realize that Stephen was really the younger of the two of them.
I'm thinking this 5th baby was a surprise for the Governor of Alaska, but when surprises come along you step up to the plate. She obviously has.
This Palin family is not perfect, never will be, but God help us if we all run around thinking we have to be perfect (even as AP parents, let's not put that burden on ourselves), let alone think that others have to fit one (perfect?) mold to be good-enough parents. This obviously is not the best timing for Mrs. Palin, but it is an awesome time for her to be McCain's running mate. She is up to the task of making this country a better, safer one for her own family and for her country - and maybe starting with all those preborn babies with Down syndrome whose mothers now may think twice before they end their babies' lives.
I'm sure there is a lot more that can and will be said on this subject, and I will be listening.
Martha
I love that Martha said she will be listening! I hope some women who think they've made up their minds will keep listening too!
And I think the reason Dr. Laura doesn't understand is because she only has one child - who, btw, she raised while working. Megamoms seem to raise their capacity for work with each child. And the family dynamic IS different - more a team where there is lots of love and attention to go around.
Please link to this as mothers are looking for advice from women they can trust.
Posted in Campaign 2008, Mothering | Permalink
Comments
I think that you may be right about women having one or two children not understanding.
When I had one child, the thought of having seven was mind blowing.
Now I have 7, and I'm homeschooling all of them including my oldest who hasn't been home in 3 years. I write online - 5-7 articles per week. I run my blog and another one. And yet, I feel like this year is our smoothest, best year ever!
I also think that people are forgetting that she is not a single mother, one child is grown and leaving the house, and another will be leaving soon to get married.
I love how the left (and extreme right) is telling her she can't be working mom with three kids at home!
Posted by: Milehimama | September 5, 2008 9:30 AM
I totally agree with Martha Sears. When the pundits claim that Sarah should be at home to raise her newborn son with Down Syndrome, I can tell they don't know what they are talking about! Our youngest of 10 has D.S. and I immediately thought that she has the help of the therapists that most likely come to her home or work to help Trig reach his baby milestones, her husband takes full time care of Trig when Sarah cannot, and he has Piper and Willow, and Bristol for now, to help as well. When you watch each of the siblings holding Trig, they remind me of my own children taking care of our Samuel. They obviously adore him and hold him tenderly. What a shining example for expectant moms who are considering aborting their pre-born D.S. baby!
Those with only one or two children don't understand that a mom "grows" with her children and she also gets help from the older ones as the younger ones come along. When I moved to my current home, I had 3 little boys, the youngest was 4 months old. The mom across the street had 7 children. I could not imagine what she did with 7 children! Now I have 10 children, the oldest 3 off to college and our home seems practically empty!
You go Sarah! We are all praying for you and your family!
Julie c.m.
Posted by: Julie Klekas | September 5, 2008 10:44 AM
I, too, am a working woman. I'm blessed with three children, fourteen grandchildren and four great grand. It is hard and it's definitely a juggling act. Right now, I'm a best selling Christian Fiction author and a Christian comedienne that travels a lot. I also take care of a special needs granddaughter who just turned five months.
I have to give it to Ms. Palin. Kudos galore. However, I believe that this situation is different and can only be assessed on a case by case basis. Early in my career when I was on the road singing with a doo wop group (the Chantels) I missed so much. I cannot tell you when my daughters made their first steps, first words, etc. It wasn't a concern back then. But now I look back and with some regret.
For Gov. Palin and any woman who can do it all, God bless them. I'm not going to judge. Of course, that also means that we are not including women who simply neglect their children.
I hope for the best. I won't vote for her because of our policy differences. But I will support her in her effort to reach new heights for women.
Posted by: Pat | September 5, 2008 3:21 PM
Mrs Sears touched on an important point. Mrs Palin is 44 years old. I don't imagine she was planning anymore children at that age. She was doing well in her career, taking her daughter Piper to work with her everyday, and making everything work with the help of her husband. Then...at the age of 44, 6 years after her last pregnancy, and several months into being governor, she finds herself pregnant. I imagine that came as quite a shock. Then she discovers this baby has down syndrome. All AFTER being elected governor. Whats God trying to tell her?
Add to that her daughters pregnancy, and then the announcement of all announcements....nomination as VP.
Well gosh darnit...If I were in her position I would start to be pretty convinced that God has some mind-blowing plan for me.
We have been praying for THIRTY years to change the laws AND the culture in America to one that values life. I don't want to make a hero of Governor Palin before Ive seen enough...but I just can't help but hope that maybe all those prayers and masses and rosaries and novenas and fasting for our culture might actually amount to something- finally!
Posted by: paigeu | September 5, 2008 3:50 PM
This all started with CNN's John Roberts suggesting that the child would be neglected if she became VEEP, and Alan Colmes blogging not once but twice that she had somehow caused her child to have down's with inadequate pre-natal care.
BOTH men, both ignorant and uninformed; unfortunately, while blogging is great, it can also be a net for bias, hate and rumor mongering, if not outright slander.
We just had a new study out that shows older fathers are linked to bipolar disorder, NOT vaccines, and that older fathers are also responsible for schizophrenia and autism.
I would love to see people blasting men over 40 for being 'irresponsible' and 'lacking judgment'.
They are terrified of any capable woman, but the glass ceiling is coming down and we as women should support that, each other's positive achievements, not 'what works for me should work for all women'.
All women should have support and a 'momtourage'--none of us are an island. The demands of caregiving for a special needs child, as well as the demands of caregiving for elderly parents, and sometimes having to do BOTH at the same time, is a HARD job, harder than being VEEP.
So I am sure she will be able to do both, especially with a loving and supportive husband who allows her personal growth and is not threatened by it or resentful of it.
I am not a republican, but I am thrilled to see her take center stage and show the sexism for what it really is at last.
The personal attacks, lies that Trig was really her daughter's, well, it was all evil-minded garbage like the rest of the stuff Roberts and Colmes were spewing.
We as women should not give her an easy time, but nor should we attack. Please make it about politics. No man has the right to say how good a mother a woman is unless he is the most impeccable dad.
Posted by: jo | September 5, 2008 3:52 PM
