Monday, March 08, 2004
The New Middle Class Family
I followed with great interest the discussion about maids on Friday. The discussion leaked from blogs into real life and the debate continued on into the weekend.
Some arguments were more persuasive than others. Since I don't have a maid, I'm not going to make any pronouncements about their growing presense in our homes. I don't want to be judgy.
Still, it is interesting to note that so many middle class families have maids and grounds keepers and nannies. For good or for bad, the middle class family is an entirely different animal than it was when we were growing up.
Tasks that my mom took for granted, I wouldn't do. Like doing my husband's shirts. The dry cleaners downstairs washes, starches, and irons them for 99 cents. Money well spent.
My son was playing with a toy kitchen last year. When he held up the toy iron, he asked, "what's this, mommy?" "An instrument of torture, dear."
I followed with great interest the discussion about maids on Friday. The discussion leaked from blogs into real life and the debate continued on into the weekend.
Some arguments were more persuasive than others. Since I don't have a maid, I'm not going to make any pronouncements about their growing presense in our homes. I don't want to be judgy.
Still, it is interesting to note that so many middle class families have maids and grounds keepers and nannies. For good or for bad, the middle class family is an entirely different animal than it was when we were growing up.
Tasks that my mom took for granted, I wouldn't do. Like doing my husband's shirts. The dry cleaners downstairs washes, starches, and irons them for 99 cents. Money well spent.
My son was playing with a toy kitchen last year. When he held up the toy iron, he asked, "what's this, mommy?" "An instrument of torture, dear."
