Letters to the Editor
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I for one appreciated it
Rose is clear-eyed, wry and amusing. It's just a humorous rant, folks, truthfully venting precisely what his love for his children keeps him and other good parents from saying out loud (most of the time anyway). It was deft and delicious. Thank you.
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oh, dear me
Yet again I've spent more than five minutes of my life in that addictive activity of perusing the strange, strange reader responses to a light, frivolous Salon piece. It was a somewhat thin attempt at a corrective to cutesy, warm-hearted Father's Day pieces. A satire, if you will. Why do people assume he is even representing the truth? Do you really think the author, who has written bunches of interesting-sounding books and has a good position at a university, regularly sneers at his children and forgets their doctors appointments because he suggested so in a publication? Do you think everything you read should be taken at face value, and that the only way to read this piece is that it represents a personal truth or confession without meaning anything larger? Did you at least glance at his website, which indicates in the title of his most recent book that he went with his four sons to Europe and wrote a book about it?
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Congratulations, Salon
for featuring an article on Father's Day about fatherhood written by a father...which managed to affirm the decision of a large number of your letter writers NOT TO HAVE CHILDREN. Well done.
Again, I point out that a number of supporters of this piece do not have their own children, so they are naturally inclined to jump on the bandwagon of anyone who finds children stupid and time-wasting. They might want to remind themselves that it's ok to find others' children a waste of time, but it's not really ok for the kids' own parent to feel that way.
I'm not an animal person. I have no pets and no desire to. But I would be disturbed to read about a pet owner who hated his pets and neglected them. It's called being able to transcend the specific circumstances of my own life, and understanding what's right.
Again, I'd like to address the issue of reductionism. This man didn't merely talk about how his kids can be annoying. WE ALL, even those of us who found this piece inane and distasteful (not to mention horribly written), find our children annoying--and much worse--some of the time. I for one expect NO ONE to cherish and worship my children, and I don't worship them myself. But seriously, folks, there's got to be some underlying affection, no? I didn't find that in this article.
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Dear sons of the author,
You are probably not helping your father's public perception all that much with your postings. I write this in all sincerity. There are people here who will judge your father more harshly for some of the things you have written.
As a writer, I am sure your excellent grammar has done him proud.
The youthful charm of your netiquette, shouting(all caps), many exclamation points and skillful use of the words "bitches" and "fucken" may be less inspiring, but at the very least have imbued this piece with a bracing chaser of angry love I never saw coming. Cheers.
Happy Father's Day indeed!
(PS ask Ayelet Waldman about all the good work/press that comes from being reviled by Salon readers)
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give the kids' letters red stars
pretty please
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daddy-o
My pop's idea of good parenting was letting me try his beer. So this guy is practically superdad.
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Well...
I've read a few of the other letters and I'm probably not going to say anything new. It's not that I'm socked that you are not enjoying each and every part of raising your kids - I know that kids are not all fun and joy, I get that every time I talk to my next door neighbore who have 2 boys.
The thing that surprise me is how uninvolved you seem to be in your children life. Non of this list is about taking a sick child to the doctor or being disappointed when they didn't get into the school you liked or the famous inner park politics.
To me it's feel like your role in raising your boys ends in tolerating them in your house and having to listen to what they say. And even that - you don't really like. Yes, kids talk about a lot of things that are not interesting for adults. Yes, kids like to play games that adults don't. I'm sure that if "salon" would let your kids write a similar article, they would have some complaints to make about having to have you as a father.
The kids, though cute, are not there to supply entertainment to you.
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Can someone explain to me what this means?
No, REALLY, Salon, we're sick of it. If you're going to insist on having people write about their kids, at least get some who aren't completely self-absorbed and pretentious.
I thought the piece was charming.
Is the phrase "self-absorbed" some kind of neo-Marxist code word for personal instead of political?
"Self-absorbed and pretentious" sounds like the kind of thought crime that poets like Pasternak and Akhamtova were denounced for back during the Zhdanov era.
I mean, REALLY.
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A for effort, man
I wouldn't have the energy to start over with little kids at 50. That would be hell.
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To the Woman who Answered my Question about Why Younger Women like Older Men
Please put your observations in essay form and submit them to Salon. I would read this article. I say this as a 35 year-old man who's always put upon to explain why his nineteen year-old girlfriend loves him. (Kidding, I think she's at least 25, but she won't show me her ID.)
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Sorry dude. (younger women/older men)
(2nd in a series)
You worry me sir. If she won't show you her ID, she certainly doesn't love you. It's your money or her daddy issues. Time for both of you to grow up.
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Wonderful article
I loved the article. I was amazed at the vitriol that was leveled at Mr. Rose. He wrote with humor about situations that I thought that any of us fathers would easily be able to relate to. My guess is that for some it served as a projective test of each persons own issues. For others it seemed clear that they are uncomfortable with their own aggression. Too bad. Love your children but get a life of your own. It's healthier for them.