Desperately Seeking A Sense of Humour

Oh ferchristsakes...a woman wrote a 'nanny wanted' ad on Craigslist. It was funny. Read it here.

Now, the NYT picked up the story, which I'm sure was her point all along (she wants to be a writer), and everyone is going crazy slamming her for being a terrible parent. Why? Because she's wealthy, lives in New York, has four kids, and wants some help with them. So?

Read the comments with the NYT piece - this country seriously needs a humour enema. Who the hell could raise 4 kids all day and not go nuts? Who wouldn't get a little help if they could afford it? My favourite line about this goes back years and years, to a self-righteous, self-centred myopic woman I once knew who used to respond to every mother's quest for help with the line "why have them if you don't want to raise them?". Yup. Far better you turn into an Andrea Yates, the mom-turned-stressed-out-crazylady who drowned her 6 kids after her wonderful husband walked out the door each morning, calling "I wanted 'em, you raise 'em" as he left. Sure she was nuts, but would it really have been so bad if she'd been able to ask for a little help?

The thing is, the ad is funny. It's satirical. I don't know the woman, maybe she's a totally self-serving bitch who really does just want a book deal. But I still think I'd rather have a coffee with her than any of the posters who are so sure they're doing a stellar job with their own kids.