7/23    Anyone watched Wife Swap on ABC? Is it just me or it seems
        like they made the liberal housewife seem overly evil (drinking
        alcohol & swearing in front of kids) and the conservative
        housewife too good to be true? I mean, I've never met a woman
        who would actually stay home, *cook* amazing meal, clean house,
        take care of kids (and preach religion), and be really nice to her
        husband! It's just too good to be true. It makes me want to be
        part of the religious movement even though I'm not religious.
        \_ Who wouldn't want a cheerful slave^H^H^H^H^Hhelpmeet to tend
           to him and his family?
           \_ Yeah much better for everyone if the illegal nanny raises the
              kids speaking Spanish while they're both out improving their
              self-esteem and bank accounts climbing the corporate ladder
              and making money so they can afford the best divorce lawyers
              later.  But don't worry about the kids, they'll be much happier
              after their biological parents are divorced so they'll have
              even more time to spend with the nanny/mom.
              \_ Yay, one-dimensional caricatures duking it out as proxies for
                 complex social issues on both sides!
                 \_ Post a caricature, get a caricature back.  Welcome to the
                    motd.  Let us know when you have the motd quality sound
                    bite that properly analyses today's complex social issues.
                    \_ "on both sides" Welcome to the Reading is Fundamental.
                       I didn't post the previous caricature.
                       \_ Try again.  Reading *is* fundamental.  Please try it.
        \_ There are plenty of good women out there.  Your odds of meeting
           them in a place like San Francisco are very low.
           \_ The definition of good/bad is very subject. However, I will
              1/2 agree with you that the odds of meeting a CONSERVATIVE
              woman in SF is very low. Most of them are ultra liberal and
              care more about saving the whale and saving whatever crap
              over anything else. I'm not even going to into their bad
              habits like alcohol, marijane, Burning Man, bad music,
              party, not shaving legs and ride Critical Mass, etc etc.
               I will on the other hand have to say that I'm very
              impressed by the Indian women in San Jose/Sunnyvale. Many
              of them were brought over by their husbands who work in
              the tech industry and seem very nice people. Two of my
              co-workers' wives also cook everyday, raise kids, take care
              of their homes meticulously, and treat their husbands
              like king. Obedient wives I've met: Punjabi and the ones
              from different parts Southern India. Worst wives I've met:
              Bengali. Bengalis are extremely well educated and pretty
              much white inside, love to wear nice expensive Western
              accoutrement, drive Mercedes, and divorce easily.
              \_ congrats on being able to differentiate between punjabi
                 bengali southern india whatever.  i don't know the difference,
                 and i don't care.
           \_ Depends on what you are looking for. I would rather that my
              wife be educated and have her own career, so we can pay for
              a maid to do the housecleaning. Divorce rates are highest
              amongst Conservative Christians, probably because they tend
              to marry so young.
              \_ Been there, done that.  Fired the maid.  Wife left her job.
                 We're much happier now.  The idea that your wife is just
                 there as a maid and never seeing her because you're both
                 exhausted from work and never in a good mood is why divorce
                 rates are high.  And who says your stay at home traditional
                 wife can't be educated?  And who is raising your kids while
                 you're both out at work having a career?  The nanny?  Day
                 care?
                 \_ Kids are passe. The real problem is having any to
                    begin with.
                    \_ Uh yeah, the whole country should just stop having kids.
                       That is a great plan.  Why did you bother posting?
                       \_ I wouldn't have any problem with no one anywhere
                          ever having any kids.
                          \_ Which makes you a freak and not a reasonable
                             participant in these sorts of discussions.
                 \_ I only work 40 hrs/wk and am not particularly exhausted
                    from my job. I am sure my wife would be crankier if she
                    stayed at home all day, since she finds work fulfilling.
                    Why is your wife the stay-at-home one and not you?
                    \_ Because I made 50% more than her at the time.  I would
                       have been perfectly happy to stay home if it was the
                       other way around.  Does that unruffle any ruffled up
                       political correctness feathers?  I'm honestly glad you
                       and your wife find work fulfilling.  Most people find
                       work stressful and unfulfilling.  Having a job that
                       doesn't wear you down is important to happiness for
                       both of you.
                       \_ Glad you found something that works for you both.
                          And yes, the daughter is in daycare about 35 hours
                          a week, which she loves. We think she is happier
                          this way, but it is kind of hard to tell. We still
                          spend more time with her than they do. We think the
                          chance to get socialized is good for her.
                          \_ I don't see how a child can be happier in day
                             care instead of with her parents for all that
                             time.  By age 5-6 kids are in kindergarten or
                             first grade where they get plenty of social time
                             and might actually start to learn something in
                             some areas.  I'm curious what you base the
                             "we think she is happier this way" part on?  How
                             old is she?
                             \_ She shows visible excitement and runs off
                                to play everytime I drop her off. She used
                                to cry when I dropped her off (the first week)
                                now she doesn't even look back and say
                                "bye." She is a toddler, so it is hard to
                                have a conversation with her.