DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: Our son and his wife are expecting their first child, our first grandchild, at the end of the summer. Even though I think they have plenty of time, they are already planning the baby shower, and from what my wife said, they are going to have men at it, and I’ll be “invited.”
This new trend of having men at what should be all-women events and vice versa seems wrong to me. As a middle-aged man, I honestly have no overwhelming desire to be at the event, but I know there will be all hell to pay if I decline to be there.
What’s the matter with a little single-sex celebration every now and then? --- ALL FOR KEEPING IT SEPARATE
DEAR ALL FOR KEEPING IT SEPARATE: Truth be told, I’m with you on this one.
While there’s much to be said for keeping the dads-to-be in the loop, there’s also something liberating in having an opportunity to follow the age-old customs of separating the sexes for certain traditional events. I doubt too many men would savor hearing childbirth war stories and tips on how to simultaneously manage breastfeeding and housework. And, with men in the room, I can easily see how some experienced mothers may feel reluctant to openly share their tales of motherhood, which could benefit the guest of honor.
(Although, it could be edifying for at least a few men I know to discover that menstruation is not the only topic of discussion in play every time women get together.)