patriarchy

Tonight at dinner G talked about how in the olden days things were really bad for women.  "They had to do whatever their husbands wanted them to do."  The kids marveled at that idea.  Then I further blew their minds by saying that I do do whatever dad wants me to do.  The trick is to marry something that wants you to be happy.  When you marry someone whose priority is your happiness, it's pretty easy to do what they want you to do.

I'm so grateful for the strong and good leadership P provides in our family.  He's so supportive of my role as a mother.  He appreciates everything I do and many things I don't do.  He even tells me that he appreciates me.

So this goes both ways because if P had married a frivolous woman (not saying I'm not...) his devotion to her happiness could lead the family into ruin.  Many families have been torn apart because pursuit of things over people.

This is heavy, but we live in a time where people get pregnant with people they don't like enough to marry.  You really shouldn't have children with someone you don't want to spend the rest of your life with.  There is so much in a child's personality that comes from their parents biology.  If your girlfriend is whiny and self centered, chances are, her baby will be too.  If the boyfriend is short tempered and can't follow up on commitments, that disposition will manifest in tantrum prone children that avoid consequences.  Actually all children are like this, that's why this is called childish behavior.  But if you're dating someone who still hasn't grown out of these behaviors, watch out!