"I never really wanted to be a mother"

Rahna Reiko Rizzuto Talks 'Hiroshima In The Morning' On 'The View' (VIDEO)

"Author Rahna Reiko Rizzuto stopped by The View Friday morning to talk about her controversial memoir Hiroshima in the Morning, which details her decision to end her 20-year-marriage and leave her two young sons behind.

"I never really wanted to be a mother," Rizutto admitted. "I had this idea about motherhood that it was just going to take me over and swallow me up."

At the age of 37, Rizzuto was given the opportunity to spend six months in Japan talking to atomic bomb survivors for a book she was writing. What began as a research trip turned into a journey of immense self-discovery that ultimately caused her to end her 20-year marriage, and walk away from her family.

Reactions to her story have been anything but mundane; some critics have even sent her death threats.

"I’m worse than Hitler apparently," she remarked.

Yet, she maintains that her choice was right for her and her family."

I’m a firm believer that some people just shouldn’t be parents; at least she made the choice to walk away before she really messed up the kids, in hindsight she probably never should have had them.

nhboy said:

Rahna Reiko Rizzuto Talks 'Hiroshima In The Morning' On 'The View' (VIDEO)

"Author Rahna Reiko Rizzuto stopped by The View Friday morning to talk about her controversial memoir Hiroshima in the Morning, which details her decision to end her 20-year-marriage and leave her two young sons behind.

"I never really wanted to be a mother," Rizutto admitted. "I had this idea about motherhood that it was just going to take me over and swallow me up."
At the age of 37, Rizzuto was given the opportunity to spend six months in Japan talking to atomic bomb survivors for a book she was writing. What began as a research trip turned into a journey of immense self-discovery that ultimately caused her to end her 20-year marriage, and walk away from her family.

Reactions to her story have been anything but mundane; some critics have even sent her death threats.

"I’m worse than Hitler apparently," she remarked.

Yet, she maintains that her choice was right for her and her family."

Click to expand...

Sounds like a selfish motive to me. Does she realize that an Octopus is better mother than her? A mother Octopus will guard her eggs until they're hatched, leaving her very weak and causes her demise. Yet, they still do it, to ensure the survival of the next generation.

BELDsmom said:

I’m a firm believer that some people just shouldn’t be parents; at least she made the choice to walk away before she really messed up the kids

Click to expand...

So you don't think her "choice" to abandon her children will totally mess them up?

BELDsmom said:

in hindsight she probably never should have had them.

Click to expand...

Gee, ya think?

I have no reason to believe that this applies to this particular person or situation in any way, but... walking away can take a lot of courage.

However, this woman has placed her burden on her kids and ex-husband. ...and no, seeing her kids every (other?) weekend so she can give them her best is not going to "work". I suspect it only "works" for HER.

.....meh, and the earth turns....

Author-mom responds to the haters

Rahna Reiko Rizzuto: The Gender Gap in Motherhood

"How can you leave your children?" It was the question leveled at me when I was away from my children for four months to interview the atomic bomb survivors in Japan. I heard it again, when I was facing divorce and my husband and I had to decide what was best for the children. We decided that he would keep primary physical custody and, as a joint legal custodian, I would move down the block and be a very involved, noncustodial mother. It worked for us. It was the best choice for the children in a time of heartbreak and loss.

But the rest of the world, it seems, could not agree.

An article about my choices that was published on Salon.com generated so much public conversation that it continued on television. Rage on behalf of my not-actually-abandoned children can be extreme. The responses directly to my website split along clear gender lines, and expose our great anxiety, not only about the perfect motherhood ideal that we can't live up to, but also about our transforming family structures and our high divorce rate.

Men -- not all but many -- tend to accuse, call names and threaten me. I am "evil," "worse than Hitler," "trailer trash and a perfect liberal," and other things that don't bear repeating. One told me I was only "created to create." Another man in the Huffington Post comment section made up a whole story about how the Vermont family court stripped me of custody. His comment was eerily authoritative, and entirely impossible: I don't live in Vermont!"