Lots of news stories lately on the later motherhood trend, including this new report from the Pew Research Center that documents that in fact there are lots more older moms than twenty years ago, and fewer teen moms. Not news around here – but nice that they are featuring the data. See earlier posts for lots more analysis of later motherhood dynamics.
KJ Dell’Antonia at Slate points out that media fascination with young moms does not a real-world trend make — instead it’s faux fertility facts.
Ladies, and gentlemen, you heard it all here first — or maybe you heard it in your own circle of friends and relations — since all these stories are, after all, reporting on us, not on the pronatalist fantasies of screen writers and journalists.
I intended to post a Mother’s Day story today — on the profound coincidence of dates this year, when Mother’s Day and the 50th anniversary of the announcement of the approval of birth control both fall this Sunday. But that was delayed by actual mothering stuff, so I’ll have it up for you next week! That will include some discussion of the Pew data, as will the post after that, if all goes as planned.
In the mean time, I’ll refer you to my Mother’s Day post of last year, which is still apropos: Remember Mama.
Happy Mother’s Day one and all.