ExposedNYC

Britney Spears has brought a pressing question to the forefront of our society (and I never thought that sentence would come out of my mouth)- when is it okay for moms to go out on the town? Now, I’m not just talking about celebrity moms, I’m talking your everyday, run of the mill, soccer mom, too. In a generation obsessed with youth and the celeb party scene, I’ve seen more and more kids pawned off on caregivers so parents can relive their heyday.

Of course, there are two sides to this argument. Today’s women are told they can be successful career women and mothers, so why should fulfilling social lives be excluded? When we went out for the birthday celebration the other night, we were disappointed when “Dawn” couldn’t join us, but I also understand that she’s married with a two-year old and her priorities have changed. I’ve accepted the limited number of social engagements I can expect from most women I know that have settled down and had children.

On the other hand, I have a few dear friends who work as nannies, who often spend more time with the children they work with than the parents do. They pick the kids up from school, make them dinner, supervise homework, and sometimes put them to bed while their mothers get their nails done, attend yoga lessons, or even spend time at home in the same house! This is a mindset I completely don’t understand.

I certainly don’t expect modern mothers to never leave the house. One of my girlfriends made sure her daughter was safe in bed before meeting up with us last weekend. I had a blast a few weeks ago out with Laura, who has three kids of her own. But, there comes a line where you have to take responsibility that the choices you make have an impact on the way you live your life.

When you choose to bring a child into the world, you lose a part of your freedom. That’s just the bottom line. Motherhood, especially with a young child, requires a ton of energy. Sleep deprivation is already part of a package deal, so late nights on the town can’t possibly be beneficial.

I respect that parents need a break. I was raised by young parents who occasionally went out to see their favorite musicians or meet friends. What I knew was that I was always their first priority. If it takes parents a night on the town to blow off some steam to retain their patience the next day, I fully support it. What I don’t expect is the same wild party partner every night that I had out of Dawn while we were both single.

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