Why Kids?

A thematic question that we have been discussing in class is “Why have children?” Most books/essays that we have read depict the hardships of raising infants or dealing with children with disabilities, or some even try to focus on trying to maintain the pre-baby way of life. Alternadad hits on this last one. One main difference between this family and others is that Neal Pollack has the ability to work at home. There problem becomes the idea that they have too much time with their child rather than not enough, like so many other families. They admit that they feel bad in wanting to send their child to school, but at the same time they encounter the common problem of affordable/decent childcare. This aside the Pollack family presents a very different dynamic to the ‘why children’ question. Pollack carries a very seemingly adolescent attitude in that he wants to experience life through rock music; this is evident through his rock and roll phase as well as his drive to take his son to a concert. In this section Pollack debates about whether or not to take his son, when it turns out not to be a question about whether he will take his son, but rather will Regina, his wife? Regina seems like a very down to earth mother in the sense that she seems to have all the tribulations of a first time mother. However, Pollack is not the typical father. His actions are uncharacteristic of any father we have read so far. He is first not absent from the family and secondly he is not over the top possessive/controlling like the father from Daddy Dearest. Although he is not one of these categorical fathers, he is a father none the less. He takes time to be with his son i.e. the farm, discipline him i.e. the penalty box, and love him i.e. music and stories. Although he possesses the basics of my idea of a father, his methods are very individual. Throughout all of the books we have read we have seen the struggle to maintain the individual nature of the adult while at the same time becoming a mother/father. Neal Pollack seems to be achieving this goal the best. I do not know if this is because of his eccentric nature, or if it is because he seems have the ideals and dreams of a teenage boy trapped in a man’s body. The question of ‘why children’ hasn’t really been answered in this book (as of section three) and I don’t know if it ever will. Elijah seemed to be Regina’s idea in the first place; Pollack was comfortable in the world they were living before. However, I do have to admit that although Elijah may not have changed Pollack’s way of life, he definitely adds to it. One good example is that as we all know Pollack likes to smoke pot. One parenting skill that he chooses to impart/learn is that he refuses to smoke around Elijah i.e. the party. I admire this quality and the idea that Pollack wants his son to be as individual as he is. This is best accomplished seen through Pollack’s investment in music hour. In conclusion I guess the initial idea of children may not have been Pollack’s, but the reason for children is to help someone become as individual as they possibly can.
As a side note I just want to mention that Pollack’s writing style in section three became very boring and materialistic (especially “Play that Monkey Music Wiper.”) This may be in part because he is talking about songs and ideas that I am unfamiliar with as well as trying to recount the exact ‘conversation’ language of Elijah. This style of writing may add to the question of audience that Pollack intended.