palin family values...by judi sadowsky

i am a mother and i am very confused. governor palin refers to herself as a typical hockey mom and married, one supposes, to joe six-pack. the fact that she has five children seems to resonate loudly with her supporters, but let's examine this.

first there is son track. at nineteen years old, he is off to iraq. while serving one's country is a noble thing, wouldn't a caring, responsible parent perhaps suggest to their teen-age son that, before going off to fight for his country and possibly dying there or coming home severely wounded, he might want to consider college first. when track returns home he will be an un-educated vet who, in this economy and without a degree, will probably have trouble finding a job.

then there is bristol. seventeen year old bristol has become the poster child for all unwed, pregnant, teen-age girls. i have a daughter and i know if she were pregnant and unmarried i would want, no make that need, to be with her to help her through such a scary time. who is bristol living with? has she, like her baby's father levi, dropped out of high school? who is holding her when she is scared and cooking dinner for her and answering the thousands of questions that all soon-to-be mothers ask. i was 25 and married when i got pregnant for the first time and i wanted my mother nearby. can you imagine how alone bristol must feel?

and then there is fourteen year old willow and seven year old piper (does it scare you that i know all their names and ages? it does me). doesn't anybody go to school in this family? do we see a pattern emerging here? shouldn't children be in school, not running around the country trying to keep up with their pit bull of a mother? with such little regard for the education of her children, we can see why she had such a hard time answering katie when asked what newspapers and magazines she read. is it possible that she doesn't know how to read?

and then there is poor trig. this is a new born child with special needs, who it appears, has not spent one night in the same crib since his mother was picked to be john mc cain's running mate. forget about down syndrome for a moment. don't just normal, everyday babies need some form of continuity and bonding with their mothers?

i am not faulting sarah palin for wanting to be the best that she can be. i am not faulting her for aspiring to the second highest office in the land. if she wants to run for president or king, god love her. i will support her right to do and be what ever she wants. but, if we women have learned nothing at all over this long hard road toward liberation, it is that we can not have it all - at least not all at once. sarah palin has had tough decisions to make. first, she decided to have five children. if ever there was a commitment and a life long one at that, you can't get much more committed than children, even one child. now multiply that by five, throw in a special needs baby and a soon to be grandchild and a grueling campaign for vice-president and you have created a perfect storm. sarah palin had made a choice to the detriment of her children and if elected, it will not only be this country that will suffer.