I wrestled with some negative feelings when reading the book Fat Talk, and I wanted to understand the source of those reactions. I’ve since participated in a group discussion, some supplementary research, and a lot of reflection and writing. In the end, I think my disconnect is ultimately related less to my own biases and more to some of the concepts being presented in absolutes.
It goes without saying that parents want what’s best for their kids, but who decides what “best” is or the best way of achieving it? Mealtimes are dreaded in many households because of the potential for fights over what and how much needs to be consumed. And even the healthiest home environments don’t make kids immune to external standards and value judgments related to weight.
The more uncomfortable the topic, the less it tends to be discussed, and – chances are – the more likely it needs to be. One issue with which I’ve struggled over the years is weight and fat-phobia. Fortunately I had a great opportunity to tease apart my own baggage in the safe space of book club with “Fat Talk: Parenting in the Age of Diet Culture”
What should you do if you find a baby fawn? Nothing. I recently learned that this bit of guidance is not common knowledge and therefore decided to create this post in order to share life-saving information as well as adorable photos of some uninvited guests. While exceptions and accidents do happen, it’s usually best to trust that moms in nature know what they’re doing.
This spring we had front-row seats to a common but rarely-seen event: a clutch of robin eggs hatching, growing, and fledging. It was only a couple weeks, but the growth and development of these babies – and the tireless efforts of their parents – was amazing to watch. It also served as a reminder that nature is brutal, and it’s usually best not to get involved.
When I think of mothers, I think of almost ritualistic, uncomplaining sacrifice for their families, often to their own detriment. Something we rarely discuss related to motherhood is the level of agency involved in that decision and how critical it is that people become parents when they’re ready for it. What some call an unsavory topic, I call a necessary component of comprehensive healthcare.
Some people don’t want any more kids or any at all, and that doesn’t make them bad people. In fact, it’s a responsible action to consider parenthood options carefully and determine how best to follow through on your choices. In honor of Father’s Day, this post examines the simple process, low risks, and overall environmental benefits of male sterilization, a.k.a. the vasectomy.
While working through this series, it became apparent that the issue was bigger than that of having or not having kids. In our very divided world, it seems like part of me wanted to close out this series with an attempt to find some common ground between two polarizing figures and their very different philosophies. This week: how moral development plays into the picture.
I’ve asked some friends probing questions about Catholicism and Objectivism over the last few weeks to make sure I was interpreting Pope Francis and Ayn Rand correctly for the arguments I’m putting forth in this series. But they had some questions for me, which made me realize I had to examine the context of a third person for this series: the author.
If the first installment of this series wasn’t polarizing enough with a look at Pope Francis and his comments about childless couples, Part Two brings in another controversial figure – Ayn Rand – for her take on what selfishness is and why it isn’t inherently bad. Is this examination a justification of my own life choices or just a fun foray into philosophy and theology? To be determined…