Austinist: Book Review: Neal Pollack's Alternadad

benji

Tue, 30 Jan 2007 20:32:07 -0600

Alex P. Keaton wasn’t straight-edge. He was Republican. Big Diff.

genie

Tue, 30 Jan 2007 20:30:12 -0600

You know, the French language didn't even have a word for 'baby' until the 1880's. The fact that a younger human should have a separate identity and a separate noun was alien. Seriously, 'bebe' is one of the newer words in French. Until then, they just called them "dream crushers".

Busybody

Tue, 30 Jan 2007 16:04:43 -0600

And the BEST thing about this? I grew up in a fairly hippy-heavy area. The parents who were hippy-est of all had the straightest-edge kids in the neighborhood. It's their own version of rebellion. Think Alex P. Keaton. I predict the same fate for many of today's hipper-than-thou parents. Irony is delicious!

adamr

Tue, 30 Jan 2007 13:38:12 -0600

I think, via irony, Neal is showing that he is very hip and he's playing with a very fun, meaningful tension. Read the book, read the blog.

Donna

Tue, 30 Jan 2007 13:12:43 -0600

Why in the world should your entire focus be on your child? I know we live in a culture of "child worship", but come on. I'm not saying that you shouldn't be responsible, it is your responsibility to have health care, food, adequite shelter, clothing, etc for your child, but to give up your self entirely for the child is just plain wrong. It reminds me of those women who do nothing but mommy and when asked what their hobbies are say "oh, i just love being a mom" with a sort of glassy sad look in their eyes. Why not be a "hip" parent? Why not let your child know that not only do the kids have these fantastic, expansive imaginations, but parents do as well? That parents need a little "me" time and time to be themselves and keep thier core personality (i'm not talking about bar hopping every night of the week or anything like that), that parents are a person too..and deserve their own interests and hobbies outside of their children. If you don't do that, you wind up with a generation of people who expect something out of "my Super Sweet 16".

Donna

Tue, 30 Jan 2007 13:09:13 -0600

Donna

Tue, 30 Jan 2007 13:06:27 -0600

truecraig

Mon, 29 Jan 2007 22:48:29 -0600

This will prove to be a good reading. I do wish it were being done at a bar...

Anon

Mon, 29 Jan 2007 15:54:41 -0600

I am about to be really annoying and comment on a book I haven't read. I'm not sure how this makes me feel. Part of me finds this whole idea kind of immature -- ie, once you have a kid, your focus needs to become the kid, even if it means 'condescending' to take a desk job that delivers unhip things like a steady income and health insurance, instead of working on maintaining some imaginary status quo of hipness. On the other hand, maybe that really is the best kind of parenting - the kind that demonstrates that your place in the world isn't ever fixed, and that you don't stop being who you are just because you've popped out a little one. Kind of a philosophical dilemma that me and the Mr. should examine, eh?