A reminder of what’s important and what’s not?
Writing this article makes me sound like I am one of those people who read celebrity magazine rags. Honest, I don’t, but sometimes the internet headlines are just too good to pass up.
A Big Week for Gwyneth
It has been a big week for Gywneth. First, she announced that she and her husband, Chris Martin of Cold Play, are divorcing in what she calls a “Conscious Uncoupling.”, something that could only come out of a Hollywood wacko. That story was followed quickly by a second story in which she says that moms working 9-5 jobs have it a lot easier than she does. Here is what she had to say:
“I think it’s different when you have an office job, because it’s routine and, you know, you can do all the stuff in the morning and then you come home in the evening. When you’re shooting a movie, they’re like, ‘We need you to go to Wisconsin for two weeks,’ and then you work 14 hours a day and that part of it is very difficult. I think to have a regular job and be a mom is not as , of course there are challenges, but it’s not like being on set.” – From eonline.com
Harder Than Being a Care Professional
This got me to thinking that if she thinks a 9-5 office job is a lot easier then she must think that being a senior living care professional must be even easier. After all, a lot of these individuals work evening and night shifts, allowing them to have all day to take care of kids and sit around the pool drinking Mia Tias. Even more importantly these care professionals aren’t forced to use nannies while they go to work or to Hollywood extravaganzas. Instead they have the privilege of relying on local day care centers that take a big chunk of their paycheck, neighbors, family members, friends and spouses to care for their children.
The Real World
While most people in this country are not as ditzy or clueless as Paltrow, I am not sure they have a real appreciation for what care givers do for the vulnerable elderly of this country. In fact I am not sure that even those of us who work in the industry always pay enough attention to these dedicated individuals who not only work hard but become fast friends with the residents they care for. These individuals will never make millions of dollars for a few weeks of work on a single movie. In fact, most will never come close to making a million dollars in their entire lifetime.
The Gwyneth Paltrow Care Giver Award
Only a little tongue in cheek I propose that ALFA, AHCA and LeadingAge each establish a Gwyneth Paltrow Care Professional Award to celebrate these mostly unsung heroes who actually make this world a better place to live. These are individuals who befriend and love our residents, who bring comfort to residents and families. They are the team members who make department heads, executive directors, regional and corporate leaders look good. Their stories are the ones we should be telling. Frankly, to me, these kinds of statements show a level of hubris and insensitivity I find disgusting, and yet I appreciate them because the contrast reminds me who the real heroes are.
Steve Moran
If you like this article (or even if you don’t) it would be a great honor to have you subscribe to our mailing list HERE.
I couldn’t agree with you more Steve! Paltrow doesn’t realize how good she has it! Very well said.
Having been a stay at home mom, a working mom, and now have a career with the senior population, these all have challenges. However, until you walk a mile in a person’s shoes, you never know what they are going thru. So I prefer to “give grace” rather than be critical.
According to your quote, she did say “office job.” Most people in senior care do not have an “office job.” Calling her “ditzy” and other names reflects poorly on the author.
Love most of what you write. This is a bit contrived.
A little harsh Steve, it was a generalization “the grass is always greener on the other side” in Paltrow’s world right now (divorce, young kids and a grueling schedule) . Of course, I don’t doubt that many of us would love to switch places and have her problems – but I don’t think she was trivializing anything in her statement.
Been kind of taken to task today about being to harsh and someone commenting about the article in a LinkedIn Group accused me of writing an article that was . . gratuitous or maybe lightweight. . . . It could all be true and in fact, will these comments will likely generate a second article to talk about what I learned.
Specifically though with respect to being to harsh on her. . .
1. Divorce is a choice rather than something that just happened (yes . . . no idea what the circumstances are). In her case she can’t even call it a divorce. Things can’t be too terrible in the relationship since she and her not yet divorced husband are reportedly off on vacation together in the Bahamas.
2. There is no question that being in the middle of a divorce with two young kids is not easy for anyone. Yet, in her case, she has the ability to not work for a year or really to not work ever again and take care of her kids. Further she has the financial resources to hire as much help as she needs.
3. I would have been a lot more impressed if she had said something like this . . . “The separation be tough, but I am more fortunate than most women who are getting divorced with kids because I have lots of resources at my fingertips.” “I can only imagine how hard divorce must be for women with kids who have to work 40 hours every week.
Steve
Steve–you were not too harsh in my opinion. She is a rich Hollywood ditz who has no idea how the real world has to work to get by. Her mother was Hollywood, so she was brought up in a rich, privileged world. I think she also has a giant ego, and she obviously thinks she is somehow persecuted by having to make millions to make one movie. She is irrelevant to me.
I get the impression that she is talking that in a 9 to 5 office job, the person normally has a routine that they follow and knows the number of hours before and after work, thereby allowing them to set a routine. Where as on a set for 14 to 20 per day, you can’t schedule anything because you don’t know how long you will be on the set and most things that need to be done are in the off hours which could be anytime, meaning there is NO way to establish a routine.