The feminist dilemma

Jellybean is already investigating the plight of women. She has been saying now for almost 2 years that she wants to be a doctor when she grows up. Don't know where this came from, except that we do love our pediatrician (who happens to be female). I always tell her she can be whatever she wants to be.

She is always adamant about her future career, almost to the point of being insulted if anyone suggests something different. She'll be pretending to cook, and I'll say, "Maybe you can own a restaurant when you're a grown-up." She'll look at me, pause for effect, and say flatly, "I'm going to be a doctor."

So, with this in mind, she caught me a bit off guard the other day. She was telling me that she will be a doctor when she grows up. At the same time, she was holding her baby doll, Baby Lacey. She looked down at Lacey, looked at me again and said, "I don't want to be a doctor. I want to be a mom." Remember this? Yeah, I felt that way again.

But I was determined to clarify for her. See, because I am home with her, she thinks that moms can't GO to work. I can understand how she would get this perception, seeing as how her research involves one person -- me. I concentrated on minimizing the damage with a response.

All it took was me telling her that the two pediatricians she has seen are moms AND doctors. Her eyes widened. "Tell me more people who are moms and doctors..." Uhhh. I came up with a couple dad-doctors, and that satisfied her. She put Baby Lacey night-night and all was good with the world. Phew.