Radio Curious discusses the psychology of motherhood with Jana Malamud Smith, a psychologist and author of âA Potent Spell: Mother Love and the Power of Fear.â
Is the concept of âmother blameâ a method to control women? Is motherhood a really a fearsome job? Will a motherâs mistake or inattention damage a child? Is this different from the fear that fathers have about the safety of their children?
These questions are answered by guest Jana Malamud Smith in her book âA Potent Spell: Mother Love and the Power of Fear.â She is a clinical psychotherapist and daughter of writer Bernard Malamud.
Smith argues that the fear of losing a child is central to motherhood, and mostly overlooked as a historical force that has induced mothers throughout time to shape their own lives to better shelter their young, at the expense of their own future.
I spoke with Dr. Janna Malamud Smith from her home in Massachusetts, and asked her to begin by discussing the different level of feat that fathers and mothers have toward their children.
The book Janna Malamud Smith recommends is âBiography of Samuel Pepysâ by Clair Tomilin.
Originally broadcast: February 18, 2003.
Barry Vogel, Esq. is the host and producer. Ignacio Ayala is the assistant producer.
Radio Curious is a half-hour, weekly, long-form interview program, now in it's 28th year. We interview people on a curiously wide variety of topics about life and ideas. Our website is www.radiocurious.org. If your station airs Radio Curious please let us know curious@radiocurious.org, we will add you to our list of syndicate stations. We also welcome questions, feedback and program ideas.