Redstocking Grandma: Bronx Zoo

October 1, 2007

Bronx Zoo

Vanessa described their visit to the Bronx Zoo yesterday:
we spent five hours at the Bronx Zoo with Patricia and her friend Heather. It was an absolutely gorgeous day, low 70s, sunny and dry -- perfect weather for the zoo. Nate was awake for most of the day, unlike our other recent cultural outings (Museum of Natural History, the Cloisters, and even Saturday's walk over the Brooklyn Bridge -- all of which he slept through). He didn't seem that interested in the animals but certainly enjoyed the trees and the people.

l it was a great day. I am really impressed with how much space the animals have and yet how totally walkable the zoo is. We did learn a valuable lesson about strollers -- they make you 'park' your stroller before going into most of the interiors (Jungle World, Congo, etc.) so next time we'll remember to bring a baby carrier. Nate was always pretty psyched about getting out of the stroller, though."

As I recall, babies carried up high in backpacks were more likely to appreciate the animals.

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In the late 60s and early 70s, I belonged to Redstockings, a NYC feminist group. Becoming a grandma to 9 grandkids since 2007 has resurrected my 60s activism, but made me increasingly critical about what passes for feminism. My misgivings at age 25 have been prescient.

Feminists became the unwitting handmaidens of corporate capitalism. Once huge numbers of women entered the paid work force, wages stagnated. You were no longer able to support a family on one well paying union job. Women increasingly were forced to work. The option of staying home with your children became increasingly unaffordable. The government used to pay women to stay home with their young kids. The desirability of having one parent at home with young children has been derided as impractical.

Early activists emphasized abortion over child care. Now we psychiatric drug our kids into obedience to the most child unfriendly nation on earth. Upper and middle class women in the US are might be far better off. But poor women and children are worse off.

Being a full-time mother to my four brilliant daughters for 16 years and a nanny to my oldest grandson were the best years of my life. Being with young kids is my bliss.

Families are my passion. My parents were both the oldest of 7. I have 5 younger brothers, 4 daughters, 4 sons-in-law, 9 grandkids,10 and under. The oldest of 45 first cousins, I have 11 nieces and nephews, 12 great nieces and nephews. I have been an editor of psychiatric books, a children's and teen librarian, a childbirth educator, a breastfeeding counselor, a social worker, an internet educator, a full-time mother, a 24/7 caregiver of my mom, a social media activist. I spent three months at Occupy Wall Street as a volunteer social worker, informal mom, big sister, aunt, grandma.