Tonight I attended a meeting of the Israel Barnard Alumnae Club, which featured the highly accomplished President of Barnard College, Debora Spar, with a fantastic view of the Old City of Jerusalem. She addressed the core issue of the modern woman, the need to be all things to everyone; and the fact that the Feminist movement, rather than freeing women to pursue the life of their choosing, has further imprisoned them with heightened expectations of perfection, and the continued traditional responsibility for the family.
Spar reported that in the United States, mothers spend an average of 38 hours per week on housework, over and above "real jobs" either part time or full time. The participation of husbands/fathers in housework has increased from seven minutes to two hours per week, still a drop in the bucket, however appreciated.
I always enjoy being surrounded by the company of like-minded women, and college is easily the one time in my life that I would gladly repeat.
I left Raphaela with a new baby sitter, and managed to avoid the urge to call and check in on their activities throughout the evening. Of course, when I walked through the door (way past Raphaela's bedtime) she had magically woken up only minutes before, she somehow knew that I was on my way home.
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