Not to be all Billy Bummer about everything, but I've had this Times article, "The Trauma of Parenthood," open in my browser tabs for a couple of weeks now. So it's expected. Psychology and management professor Eli J. Finkel writes about the physical and mental hardships of parenting, post-partum depression, and the crush of societal and personal expectations that pile on parents' shoulders, with debilitating effects. The unexpectedly personal ending catches me up every time I see it:
As a recent parent myself, I urge you to consider this the next time someone you know greets the transition to parenthood with hopelessness or even despair. Pursue kindness over ideology. For a person whose suffering has been met with judgment, a sympathetic ear can make all the difference.And I swear, I've meant to post it here, there's just been so much going on and--anyway.
This morning I found Ethan Zuckerman's incredibly thoughtful account of recognizing and dealing with his own high-function depression, and how it differed from the difficulties his wife faced after a miscarriage and, later, the birth of their son. It's powerful stuff, and if you recognize yourself or someone you know, it's really important reading.
The Trauma of Parenthood [nyt]
Life, only moderately messed up: understanding (my own) high-functioning depression [ethanzuckerman via @agpubic]
