Belated Valentine's Day

I missed this column on the day of its greatest relevance, but whatever. It's a Valentine's Day-inspired reflection on family happiness. Apparently, married couples are less happy. Some people blame the couples' children, or more specifically, the child-centered, "attachment" style of parenting. The real truth seems to be that couples are overworked. Apparently, unscheduled outdoor play for kids is down fifty percent in the last 25 years.

The thing is, it's not just overwork. It's safety issues, real or perceived. I *was* a kid 25 years ago, and my mom let me run around unsupervised all over our block with my friends. I don't feel I could do that today with my own kid.

Anyhow, the whole thing clearly sucks--longer working hours, a feeling that you can't just turn your kid loose to go dream and discover. One thing that hasn't changed is depression rates among housewives, which are still high. *That* one's a no-brainer.

Worth a read.