Do it for the children

I have to say, I am getting a little tired of these reality show contestants justifying leaving their children for weeks and weeks by saying they are "doing it for their family."  Please.  You are doing it for yourself.  I actually can believe it a little bit from the men, since they have a different relationship with their children and it usually involves making most if not all of the money.  But these girls I see on American Idol and Make Me a Supermodel leaving their extremely young children for weeks and weeks rationalizing it by saying "I'm doing it for my child" make me laugh.  Your child does not want you to be a supermodel.  Probably not a famous singer either.  Do you know how much more you will be away if you actually succeed?  Your child does not care how much more money you will make.  They are the few still untainted people who value people and love more than money (okay, so maybe lots of people who are grown up do to but sometimes it doesn't seem like it).  They would much rather have their mothers around them.  I'm all for following your dreams, and I don't necessarily think they are doing a "bad" thing or even the wrong thing and they may even think they are doing it for their children.  But when it comes down to it, they are really doing it because they want to.  They want to be rich and famous.  Well, once you have kids, for those few short first years they really really need you.  A lot.  So traveling the world being rich and famous is not going to be good for them, no matter how much you want it to.  When I was a little girl, I wanted a horse more than anything in the world.  I literally cried myself to sleep just about every night I wanted one so bad.  I wanted a horse more than anyone else in the world, I really did.  But if I had had the choice between having my dad around  like he was or having a horse, I would not hesitate to choose my Dad.  And I did get my horse.  And it was my Daddy who got him for me.  But I had to work for him too.  He was my dream.  He still is.  But I would never ever choose him over my children.