Oh my god, I was the worst babysitter ever! I was the stereotype of the disengaged 13-year old writ large. I am the reason I do not want hire teenaged babysitters now. All I did was talk on the phone and eat the people's food. I never gave a shit about the kids. But. I was not murderous. Nor did anyone's husband want to sleep with me at that point in my zitty, overly-made up life. Still, this article speaks to me. I was wondering what had become of the phenomenon of teenage babysitting. I'm glad to see someone else was wondering too.

Amy, I would be happy to discuss my abortion with you. It was 12 years ago and it took place in England (although I am American), but if my story can be of any help I would be happy to tell it. I don't regret my abortion and I don't mind my picture being taken or my real name being used.

You can contact me at:

hijris7@hotmail.com

I grew up in a family where anger was expressed via yelling on all sides. To a person, we were and are emotional, dramatic, occasional yellers. It has taken me many years to understand that there is another way to communicate while still being "authentic." My husband used to get so stressed out with my yelling and swearing. I would say, "it's nothing, I still love you, I'm just upset. Feel free to express your feelings, too." But he could never plug into that mentality. He was raised in a reasonable, polite family where everyone was encouraged to discuss feelings but to consider the feelings of others when doing so. So he would just shrink and disconnect whenever I would get mad. Over time he has taught me that respect for the other and rational discussions are better than big displays. This may seem obvious to most people, but it's not necessarily obvious to people who grew up in histrionic households where everyone yells and screams and damages everyone else and then brags about being so passionate.

I cannot let your remark go by without a rejoinder. Undoubtedly there have already been many; if so, let me add my 2 cents. You have probably wondered why poor people hate you so much. Most likely, you think it's irrational, this "class envy" that "the left" so loves to cultivate. Perhaps you're the philosophical type. I can just see you with your friends out on the sailboat, speculating about how it's human nature to covet what other people have. It's even probable that you don't think you are rich. I can actually hear you protesting, "but I'm middle class! I only make $300k" But you know what? That's rich. You are rich beyond what my husband and I can ever hope to attain. You buy special stained glass for your "Victorian." You buy special, artisanally crafted ties. You can afford to assume that you *need* two cars. You can afford life insurance! By your own account, you and your wife will never have to worry about house payments. You attribute this to your virtue; you've saved money! Do you not realize that most people would save money if they had enough left over after paying their bills? Do you not realize that most of us do not own houses, do not make anywhere near 300k, and will never be out of the debt we incurred just trying to get by? That we buy our clothes at Marshall's and drive our old cars into the ground and won't have more than one kid? That we eat lentils? That we never travel, and I mean never, unless it's for a job interview or a conference? That when we get laid off, that's the end of our health insurance?

You probably do not realize this--you are too busy bragging about your windows and complaining about your taxes (which nevertheless do not prevent you from having a really wonderful lifestyle) to think about what it's like to make 10% of 300k. You are exactly, exactly who this article is talking about.

The only people who are impressed with rich people are other rich people. The rest of us don't care about you at all. We want jobs, medical coverage, education, and a general reduction in the rate of getting jerked around. Understand?

Why do you suppose being a schoolteacher is such a low-paying job? Do you think it is right that the people responsible for educating children should have to depend on the support of their rich family members?

You are like that poster in the article about whiny rich people who rubbed his expensive ties and stained glass windows in everyone's face. Lonely people are going to hate you, and they should.

The baby lives in the uterus. Not the vagina.

Thanks people for the most entertaining batch of comments I have read this year.

That bugged me too.

My husband and I both kept our names when we got married. That was six years ago. In total, we've been together for 9 years. I know that's not forever, but we are happy together, and it feels pretty permanent. If I had it all to do again, I would do everything the same way.

If someone has to swallow pride over the name issue, it should be the man, because it's the right thing to do. When people live together so intimately as they do in marriage, there are enough opportunities for pride-swallowing to go around. She will get her turn. Of course, if the man actually moves in social circles where it's considered shameful for the woman to keep her own name, she's probably better off without him.

Have fun! I was too scared to go to mine but I totally should have, it would have been a blast.

I would gladly be anyone's fag hag. Except for this guy. He's way too mean.