Thank You Rebecca Kiperts

I was starting to feel out of sorts when my Reader article didn’t accumulate any hate mail. Luckily, someone wrote a scathing letter to the editor. It is in this week’s letter section of the San Diego Reader. This is what they had to say:

Career Counselor

I believe Siobhan Braun needs a reality check (“For My Birthday, My Husband Bought Me a House,” Cover Story, November 17). You should be on your knees every night thanking God for a husband who loves you and three healthy (I assume, since you hardly mentioned them) children, as well as your house. If you got off your tush and got a job, you might realize how hard it is to earn a dollar these days, rather than whining that employers only want to look at your body. Go take a couple of classes at a community college so you can use their counseling office to see what you might be interested in learning to become good at: something besides housework and picking up dog poop. I’m not belittling those activities, they can be very rewarding and a blessing to your family, but once kids are in school, they don’t need you quite as much. Marriage is a partnership, and your husband is asking for your help (in a sort of roundabout, male way) — renegotiate! Have you saved for your retirement? Your children’s college education? Made a living trust in case, God forbid, he gets hit by a truck? Do you have enough life insurance? All these things cost money, just like those windows he researched so carefully, so as not to waste money. Sure, it’s easy to criticize when you’re not earning those dollars.

You write quite well; perhaps you could be an editor — maybe the Reader could use your skills — be a school bus driver — they’ll teach you how to discipline all kinds of kids — be a nurse (although you sound a bit too selfish for that), be a dog trainer (who doesn’t like golden retrievers?), just do something! It will be a good example to your kids that Mom worked hard to find a job. And your husband will be so grateful he might pick up his socks or learn to do laundry himself — do your kids do chores? Their future spouses will be grateful if they have skills as well!

Rebecca Kiperts
Mission Village

I read it to Aaron and he got a big huge chuckle. I think I will print it out and affix it to the fridge, that way any time I am feeling too pleased with myself I can read it and be reminded that I am seen as a poop picker-upper and as an individual far too selfish for nursing. Love it!