Dr. Laura

[MissCrabette]

As a joke, I received her "Proper care and feeding of husbands" book. I thought it might be an amusing book and I didn't know anything about her radio show. So imagine my shock when I started thumbing through this book and reading outrageous idea after outrageous idea. At first I thought she couldn't possibly be serious in placing ALL the balme on women, but apparently she's very serious. What's even more shocking is the number of glowing reviews on Amazon. :! What do YOU think about Dr. Laura and her ideas about relationships?

[Sheherezade]

I'm scared. I haven't seen it, but I can imagine.

She's just very opinionated and in your face. That's fine when you agree with her.....but not when you don't. I found her very re-assuring when I was ambivalent about being a SAHP.....but I'd probably tune her out if she was lambasting me for some other action. :>

I've heard some of her radio show a few years ago and thought that a lot of her ideas were great....she "seemed"all about women empowering ourselves. I haven't read her book and am now curious...will keep you posted about my opinion when I am qualified to give one.

[MissCrabette]

Well let me just list a couple of things that I found absurd.

If you love your husband, don't nag him about working out. Don't try to change him AT ALL.

At the same time, she criticizes women who "let themselves go" because not caring for their physical appearance is an "assault on the marital covenant" and the husbands shouldn't have to accept and love the woman's new appearance.

If you respect your husband, you shouldn't ask him for reasons for his opinions/decisions that affect the relationship. If he says something, leave it at that. Any discussion would be disrespectful.

Lastly, she posts a conversation with a physician spouse. The lady was complaining that her husband was working extra hours at work to make up for a paycut in a previous year. She mentioned that they don't need the money and that she needs him at home, to be a father to his children. Dr. Laura's response? She told the lady she knew what she was getting into when she married a doctor and that he's not a bad man for wanting to provide for his family. Surely, this lady can do all sorts of things with her children while her husband is at work. "So go do what you want to do all day, and make sure a hot dinner is there, served with a smile and a hug, when he gets home. Because the more you create an atmosphere that shows you appreciate what he does when he's out there, the more he's going to want to be home."

Hello? Did she not hear the part where she was told that those extra hours are not needed? This man would rather be at work than spend time with his kids and she defends him by suggesting that it's the wife's fault for not serving him dinner with a smile and a hug?

And it goes on and on... She sounds like a Stepford wife to me.

And it goes on and on... She sounds like a Stepford wife to me.

she's a Stepford wife strung out on acid, IMO. :! I read a small portion of one of her books about 10 years ago when my mom was in the hospital and my aunt was carrying the book around. I think she's a nut.

[SuzySunshine]

4 words...

My MIL LOVES her!

Enough said!

[Vishenka69]

And it goes on and on... She sounds like a Stepford wife to me.

she's a Stepford wife strung out on acid, IMO. :! ... I think she's a nut.

Yup, me too. At first I her name didn't ring a bell but then I remembered watching an interview with her and she bugged me so much, I complete erased that from memory.

Any chance we can slightly run her over with the bus? :>

[DCJenn]

THE thing that bothers me about "Dr." Laura is that she's not a PhD in any kind of healing profession.

I think we covered her a few years back- I don't know if the thread still exists. Suffice it to say that as a mental health professional, I have a huge problem with people dispensing advice under the auspices of a degree- without the actual degree.

I honestly don't care whether or not she dispenses advice that I agree with because chances are she wouldn't- but DON'T confuse the masses. That's unethical. (but as she's an unlicensed professional, it's not like anyone can complain to a SW or nursing board)

Jenn

[Sheherezade]

I think she has a doctorate or master's in physiology.

I should start giving advice. I'd like you all to call me Dr. Angie.

In 1994 when I was in college, my roommate got me listening to Dr. Laura. She was much less of a kook back then. My roomate was going through a difficult break-up, and I think Dr. Laura's advice helped. As well, I was staunchly opposed to extramarital sex, and agreed with Dr. Laura's ideas.


Fast forward 13 years... she is a weirdo!! She has this world view that is very retro. Yes, she does blame everything on the woman, but this is the view that both of my grandmothers held.


My ideals today don't match hers, as they did in the past. I am terribly embarassed of a time (I was 24) when I told my MIL (who worked as a teacher), that ALL mothers should stay home with their children, because that's what REAL mothers did. and !!!


MIL felt like she had to defend her reasons for being a working mom!! What an a$$ I was to be so arrogant when I was so far removed from being a mother myself. Now, almost 10 years later, I realize that I have NO desire to be a SAHM, and am 99% sure I will work when I have kids. So, I am hoping that she has forgotten that conversation. I doubt it- arrogance at that level is something you don't forget!!!!

I should start giving advice. I'd like you all to call me Dr. Angie.

Yes Dr. Angie.

From http://www.secularhumanism.org/library/ ... _21_1.html :

Dr. Laura as Hypocrite

Dr. Laura's pious brand of morality allows for no weaknesses, no dissension, and no slack. But does she measure up? Not according to her detractors. One of the criticisms most leveled against her is hypocrisy, and with good reason. Under the heading "Doctor, Heal Thyself: Hypocrisy in Lauraland," the Newsguy Web site lists the following tidbits:

Laura and the Sanctity of Marriage: Laura started dating her current husband, Lew Bishop, while he was still married to someone else and lived with him for nine years before they got married.10
Laura and Family Values: she has not spoken to her mother in 15 years and is estranged from her sister.11
She claims that women with young children should stay home rather than have a career, but she is on the radio five days week and recently began a television show, in spite of the fact that she has a teenage son at home.
She will not discuss her past on her show, claiming that it is irrelevant now, but, as several critics have pointed out, she refuses to take responsibility for her "wild" past and angrily dismisses charges of hypocrisy.
Schlessinger's brand of moralism apparently includes stretching the truth. In her book The Ten Commandments (ironically enough), she calls herself a "licensed psychotherapist."12 Her Ph.D., however is in physiology, not psychology. Though she does have an MFCC (a certificate in marriage, family, and child counseling), the State of California, where she resides, does not consider her a psychotherapist. In fact, it is illegal in California to call oneself a psychotherapist without a state license, which she does not have.13 No one could receive an MFCC without knowing about this requirement; it is common knowledge in the psychological community. Whatever one may think of the requirement for state licenses, her claim that she is a "licensed psychotherapist" is on shaky ethical ground.

Great news Nellie! According to her website, she'll be signing books at a WalMart in the Portland area on 2/1!!!

My ideals today don't match hers, as they did in the past. I am terribly embarassed of a time (I was 24) when I told my MIL (who worked as a teacher), that ALL mothers should stay home with their children, because that's what REAL mothers did. and !!!


MIL felt like she had to defend her reasons for being a working mom!! What an a$$ I was to be so arrogant when I was so far removed from being a mother myself. Now, almost 10 years later, I realize that I have NO desire to be a SAHM, and am 99% sure I will work when I have kids. So, I am hoping that she has forgotten that conversation. I doubt it- arrogance at that level is something you don't forget!!!!

I think I'd apologize. My guess is she does remember -- something like that would sting to the core. I still tear up at the family friend who berated me for having kids when I couldn't yet afford to stay home. :!

[MissCrabette]

According to Wikipedia, her mom's body was found in her condo, several MONTHS after her death. She's clearly not somebody I'd take relationship advice from, but I was utterly shocked that this mentality still exists in the 21st century.

[Vanquisher]

I hate her for so, so many reasons.

I think I'd apologize. My guess is she does remember -- something like that would sting to the core. I still tear up at the family friend who berated me for having kids when I couldn't yet afford to stay home. :![/quote]


Yeah, I should apologize - I just need to get it off my chest. I remember at the time MIL stated that she worked not for financial reasons (FIL made plenty), but that she was bored at home with the kids. Well, my nazi-like Dr. Laura brainwashed mind went berserk with that comment. After working for many years, I just don't think I could give it up when I have kids. So, I now understand what my MIL was saying.


The problem with Dr. Laura's message is that it is "one size fits all". Not all women are alike and not all families are alike. She villifies ideals that are not aligned with her ideals. And she does it in the most arrogant manner, which is probably where I got my "holier-than-thou" attitude when I offended my MIL. I think her arrogance is the most annoying thing about her. She is supposedly "pro family" (whatever that means). However, she has been divorced; she had an affair with her now husband, Lew; she has had no contact with her younger sister for decades; and she didn't even know when her mother died.

As a side note, Jesher, I think that whether a mother works or stays at home is her own business. I don't think that a mother should have to stay at home because her spouse makes X dollars. If she wants to work for whatever reason that is her business. I feel bad that someone hurt you because you had to work. I am ashamed that I was one of those jerks in my younger days - no thanks to Dr. Laura!