May 19, 2006
Rabid Scrutiny
I think that the media and the public are being really hard on this girl. TOO hard.
Let me preface this by saying that I despise the NY Post with every ounce of my being and always have. You know what I despise about the NY Post? How they convey disdain and disapproval towards their subjects. How they are on the highest imaginable horse with respect to every issue. They do this in subtle ways, such as referring to Britney as "Pop Tart" and "Ritz Ditz" in their recent coverage of her "baby scandal!" Not only must they publicly chide her parenting skills, but they also must degrade her as a human being. I think enough is enough. There's a line between playful public ribbing and blatant cruelty. I think our society often crosses into the latter category quite seamlessly, while the Post actually just lives there.
Look, she should never have driven her car with her baby in her lap and she should strap her baby in properly so that he doesn't die in a car wreck, but is it fair to hammer the poor woman with bad publicity and stern judgment with respect to every single move she makes? Everyone makes mistakes. Some are worse than others. But ultimately I think that every mother struggles with whether or not she is doing the best job possible. I think that any mother who you asked who was being honest would say there has been at least one instance during child rearing where they feel they have fucked up or experience some level of guilt about their adequacy as a parent.
My mother dropped me on my face when I was a baby. We lived out on "the land" when I was tiny, just about a year old. She was carrying laundry in a basket down a path, and she had me perched in the laundry basket. She stumbled and the basket and me went flying and I landed face down on a rock. My baby teeth were heavily damaged and this is an incident that has caused dental issues for me my whole life. I had to have a root canal at 11 years old and I have had veneers on my two front teeth my entire life.
I can only imagine how she must have cried that day. I can only imagine how scared and horrified she must have been. I can only imagine the guilt my mother has had to experience over that incident for years afterwards. (Not to mention kicking herself because she's had to pay every dental bill I've ever incurred.) Now I imagine if my mother were splashed on the cover of every newspaper and proclaimed to be unfit and irresponsible by an - ironically - unfit and irresponsible media, and a nation of degenerates, assholes and other mothers who probably aren't actually doing a much better job of raising their own kids.
Could Britney work on making sure that her kid is safe when riding in her automobile? Sure. Could everyone on earth who has kids be a better parent in one way or another? Probably. Do we need to verbally beat the woman about the neck every other day, every time her child scrapes his knee or bumps his head? Every time she falters...?
It's fucked up, people. Thou who hath not sinned or stumbled...
Posted by Maria at May 19, 2006 12:06 PM | TrackBackOh I'm sooo glad I decided to check in with you today...You're BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh that Britney...I agree that the media is tearing her up with her parenting skills..she's a new mother for fuck's sake....my own mother has said a thousand times that she always feels so sorry for the First Born in any household...the first born always gets hurt due to accidents...new parents are learning ya know. My husband let our daughter take a nap on his chest when she was a couple mths old and I was out shopping..anyway she rolled off his belly and right onto the floor....he cried more than she did because he felt soo guilty.
Brit will learn just like everyone else and all these folks getting up on their high horses need to recall the stupid stuff they did with their first child...
Posted by: Sandy at May 21, 2006 08:09 AMfirst of all, welcome back. I, too, decided on a whim to punch your URL in today, thinking that I'd be greeted by a "fuck off, she's not here anymore" page. but I am delighted to see that you've actually been back for a month. shame on me for not checking back sooner.
but aaaanyway. I couldn't possibly care less about Britney's parenting skills. new moms screw up. not everyone is fucking Donna Reid or June Cleaver, perfect in every way.
what I do have a problem with, however, is the fact that she got knocked up a mere 3 months after Sean Preston was born. that's incredibly irresponsible and shows a complete disregard for her health and that of her yet to be born baby. most doctors recommend that you wait 18-23 months before trying to conceive again b/c your body hasn't replenished its lost nutrients and your hormones don't re-regulate very fast sometimes. having babies too close together also ups the risk of low birth weight and prematurity.
give yourself a freakin' rest, Britney, for your own good at least. how much longer before Kevin gets bored and moves along to his next incubator? she and Shar Jackson should start praying to whoever listens, that he doesn't quit his music video dancing gigs, b/c he sure as hell isn't going to make much money with his rapping skills.
Posted by: girl at May 21, 2006 10:45 AMHas it only been 3mths? Wow...Brit wasted no time getting preggers again. But ya know she's loaded...she's got the money to get the best doctors in the world..I think healthwise she'll be okay...I'm sure if the slightest problem were to arise that woman will have the top specialists flown in to tend to her....
Oh we should dis Kevin though.....I still can't believe Britney chose HIM to be the father of her children..that boy will suck her dry if she's not careful.
Posted by: Sandy at May 21, 2006 11:31 AMI'm with you on this one, judge not lest ye be judged and I'm really not up to be judged by anyone. Good one.
Posted by: Cupie at May 21, 2006 08:44 PMSean Preston is 8 months old and Brit's 5 months preggo (or so she said on Dave Letterman, I believe). I just hope she gets her ditziness out before the next one comes. she'd be a hell of a lot be-tter (haha. your Blacklist seriously hates my guts.) off if she were back in Louisiana around her mother. I told my husband that I'm moving my mom into our place for at least a month when we have our first youngin'. I need my mommy's help!
Posted by: girl at May 22, 2006 09:40 AMDid any of you see this little spoof thingy on TV about Britney? Now it was kinda funny....I guess she's hired a male nanny now so the people on TV were calling him Britney's "Manny"..
The funniest part was when some guy said he wanted that Manny to be careful because he just knew Kevin would figure out a way to get that man pregn*nt too..
I laughed my rearend off...only 'cause it was a slam against Kevin more than Britney for once...
Posted by: Sandy at May 23, 2006 12:57 AMManny! Hahaa. Thassfunny. Kevin is such a schlubo! The biggest mistake that girl has made was marrying that boneheaded palooka. And that's saying quite a bit...
Posted by: Maria at May 24, 2006 12:21 PM