Strollerderby
Why is Bad Parenting So Fascinating?
Nothing rivets this generation of parents like stories of bad parenting. Not too abusive or gory, mind you, just “bad.” Parents (especially famous parents) who smoke pot, spank, and generally act terribly, grab headlines and our collective attention time after time. But is it simply our desire to watch a car / train wreck thereby assuring ourselves that we are “good”? Or is it something more than that?
In extreme cases like Kate Moss or Britney Spears, there is clearly an element of car wreck about the business of keeping up with the latest drug-alcohol-bad-judgment induced incident. And honestly, compared to these two, who wouldn’t feel like Mother of the Year? Sometimes it’s simply impossible to look away. But let’s not kid ourselves, this is the age of the Sanctimommy and our Century’s answer to the Salem Witch Trials and the Trouble with Women. To be a good woman, one must be a good mother.
And to be a good mother these days is next to impossible. Not only must one be beautiful, tight, and inclined to breastfeed for ages and ages, one must take an overinvolved interest in each developmental phase, equally fascinated by potty-training and preschool applications.
Bad may be the new good, simply because “good” is an impossible goal, something elusive like the fountain of youth and orgasmic childbirth.
Go Back To Strollerderby
1 Comment
Anonymous commented on Jan 01 70 at 12:00 amYou are right, I watch Britney and cannot help but feel that I am not going to be that bad of parent when my time comes in the next 5 months. She in a sick way gives me hope
Add your take:
Note: Babble is a supportive, diverse community. We encourage a range of opinions,
but any unduly hostile comments will be removed.
Comments are delayed up to 15 minutes
The Walt Disney Company supports Babble as a platform dedicated to honest, engaged, informed, intelligent and open conversation about parenting. However, the opinions expressed on this site are those of individual parents/writers and do not reflect the views of Disney. In addition, content provided on this site is for entertainment or informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or safety advice.