FRIDAY! Thank you, thank you, thank you. Made it ... Whew!

I fear I say this every Friday, but only because it's true ... limping to the finish line. I'm not going to lie. This job is tiring -- in and out of the studio all day, preparing in-between. And no, it's not picking cotton (as my dad would say). But, yeah, that's work if you do it the way we do it.

And let's not get confused because being a mom is a job, too. And then we have Christmas things to do. And let's be real about this, too -- not to stereotype, but is there any man out there who sweats Christmas the way women do? Is there? So, yes, I am tired, dadgumit.

Not to get belligerent or anything.

Speaking of belligerent, it got HOT up in here with today's Barbershop! The fellas reacted to the rise in births to unmarried women. A new record was set in 2006. (Just to refresh your memory, here's the original story and report (pdf), which we reported on Monday.)

What I liked was the array of opinions -- strong, but respectful, not hateful. I think you got the sense of concern from each of these men about what all this means to kids and families, but some strong disagreements, which, frankly, I bet many of you have had -- either among friends or families, or just in your own head -- which is: Is the increase in single parenting by choice a good thing for society, a bad thing, or just a new thing? ... A new family style with all the variation of the traditional family?

I mean who are we kidding? Don't we all know so-called "traditional" families who are not doing well, and single parent households who are holding it down just fine?

... But isn't it also true that single parent households, especially black and, to a lesser extent, Latino, are among the poorest?

And, isn't it also true that...

And, isn't it also true that...

men and women bring different things to parenting? ... But don't many of us know great single parents of either gender and, for that matter, some truly great same-sex parents who parent together?

This is a rich and important topic. I cannot help but think we'll come back to it. Thanks guys...

FYI - I heard from some single adoptive moms who thought we should have said more about this phenomenon. Not to slight anyone, but our stories were driven by the data (pdf). And the new report released was not about single PARENTING, per se, but about single BIRTHS. I know they are similar, but not the same. But I do agree that the single parenting phenomenon, overall, should be explored. And we will.

A couple more notes:

Our producer A.C. Valdez told me that finding guests to talk about the dilemma of security for places of worship, especially on the Christian side, was one of the hardest tasks he has had since he's been here. He was able to find Mary Marr. It kind of unexpectedly proved her point that security issues are not something Christians, as a whole, like to confront head-on. She might be right, she might be wrong, but I just thought I'd mention it.

And finally, more on our ongoing interest in urban stories ... We have wanted to get Philadelphia's mayor-elect on for a while. We were glad to have Michael Nutter on along with his new Police Commissioner, Charles Ramsey. We know him from D.C.

Good luck and, as they say, be safe out there. Have a good weekend, everyone...

Don't hurt anybody as you head to the mall...

categories: 'Behind the Curtain' at TMM

4:40 - December 14, 2007

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