City Mommies Gone Wild

Okay, maybe the mothers on UrbanBaby.com aren't totally wild, but after reading Emily Nussbaum's New York magazine feature about the website that caters to mostly city moms, we're torn between wanting to read the various message boards because for the soap opera of class baiting, judgment, and envy and not wanting to read it for fear of being totally sucked in. For example:

When bonus time comes around for the wives of IBers (investment bankers) and “BigLaw” lawyers, the boards go mad with Schadenfreude and envy and rage. In one such discussion, a woman explained that she couldn’t stay home even if she wanted to because she needed her salary: She made $150,000 a year. “Not significant,” responded the other poster. Other people began to chime in: “150,000 per year is not significant income? What planet do you live on?” And “I would quit in a heartbeat if I made $150K. It isn’t significant to me.”

And screw craigslist and Post Secret, there's this whole other shorthand (SAHM is Stay At Home Mom), trying to narc out bad nannies AND lesbian affairs that spring from playground visits. Who knew strapping on a Baby Bjorn could be so sordid? We suppose in a city where you compete with your jobs, clothes, and arm candy, it's natural for people replace those things with their babies and new maternal ennui.

For levity, we're glad the article mentioned parody postings if UrbanBaby were around in 1970: “My dumb kid ate all my dope!” and “My 3 yo twins ride their Big Wheels and Hippity Hops across the street to the park alone, should I make them come home before dark?” Okay, fine, we'll be lurking on UrbanBaby to see what the under-Mommy's belly says.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on July 17, 2006 9:47 AM

Comments [rss]

2

A bunch of PMS rants from disguntled wives.

There are people who work because they have to,

not because they want to.

marge ingersol

There are classes and then there are classes. I am an educated woman. Even though I have a net worth of 160 million dollars and always knew that I would never WORK, I did get an education. I have a secretarial degree that is on a shelf somewhere in my house. What woman in her right mind would go to work for 150,000? I mean I guess I would if there were some sort of fame attatched to it. And no real work. That would be interesting. God knows I am always looking for a reason to get out of the house and away from those kids!150,000? 150,000 is the amount I spend on my summer wardrobe. As you can imagine, fall and winter would be much more expensive! And fraternizing with nannies. Are you kidding me? I have decided to hire only nannies of color in the future so their is a clear delineation between who is the mother and who is the nanny. I can be standing with my children and the my nanny and for some reason, no one ever guesses that I am the mother! The nerve!

meesalikeu

sorry kids big wheels kiddie ride toys were not around in 1970. they came out in 1972.

don't you have a fact-checking intern slave over there?

Constant Dater

Like the kind of women who date i-bankers would deign to do that (i.e. "b. earn it yourself")

Samantha T

"funny, though, how most mother's want you to go out with these types of guys for "financial security" when the real joke is they'll dump you as soon as you hit 30."

Not sure if all investment bankers are this dirtbaggy, but the only way to have truly inalienable financial security is to a. be independently wealthy or b. earn it yourself.

superfecta

I love UB -- while I agree a lot of the drama is either 1) pretend or 2) self-inflicted angst it's a lot of fun to watch (and it's nice not to be stuck in babycenter hell when you're just looking for a quick answer to a question or a tip for where to buy Triple Paste.

Gwinny

I work at an investment bank and the guys I know here all seem to be fine husbands/fathers. The older ones are still married to their first wives (and have grown kids), and the younger ones are actively involved in their family lives.

I guess it really depends on the bank, or something.

makes me really glad

that i stopped thinking dating IB's or stock brokers was a good idea in my mid-twenties. i'd take a nice guy with less money rather than a rich guy who treats me badly any day.

i'm sure there are nice ones, but each and every one that *i* met was a cheater, through and through. most were borderline alcoholics as well.

funny, though, how most mother's want you to go out with these types of guys for "financial security" when the real joke is they'll dump you as soon as you hit 30.

La Leone

Yawn. Investment banker mommy/wives and their salaries, and their babies, really bore me. However, hearing about these "lesbian affairs that spring from playground visits" (!) could certainly create a sudden interest for me!

Native New Yorker

Great article, thanks for the link.

Before we get into the inevitable debate about income and class, let me just state for the record what is the most interesting thing about the site:

These allegedly rich and successful people desperately need validation from anonymous strangers.

and

It is highly likely that much of what they post is bullshit.

Someone with a "15k/month lifestyle" who has to brag on a messageboard about their fabulous life is either lying or a huge loser. In my experience legitimately successful people are busy working, enjoying hobbies, or spending time with their kids and are deeply unconcerned about what strangers think.