I saw this video about parenting taboos by Babble co-founders (and husband and wife) Rufus Griscom and Alisa Volkman on Little Monster. Rufus and Alisa are wonderfully honest and made me laugh—especially when Rufus couldn’t identify his own eight-week-old son in a photo line-up. (If we’re being truthful here, I’m pretty sure Tim couldn’t have done it, either. But he’ll have to answer that one himself.) Like Lisa says on Little Monster, “As a new mother, I am always looking for honesty and answers when things happen that I don’t understand (which was everything!).” I hope you can take some time to watch the video. It’s a little long, but worth it. Just grab some clothes to fold or straighten out your desk while it’s playing.
Rufus and Alisa bravely wade into difficult waters, including coping with miscarriage and the isolation you can feel as a new mother. At one point, Alisa tells the audience that she asked her sister, a mother of three, why no one told her how lonely she would feel when all the visitors had left and she was home alone with her new baby. Her sister’s reply was that “it’s just not something you want to say to [someone] who’s having a baby for the first time.”
It’s quite a dilemma, isn’t it? On one side we have moms and dads who are afraid to admit their worries and fears while over on the other side are people who could help, but are afraid to say anything because they don’t want to seem negative. Or—maybe—they’re afraid to admit that life with kids isn’t always completely rosy for them, either.
