Passage One
Ask a mom if she's happier now that she has a child, and she'll usually say yes. But psychologists who study happiness often report a different picture. Being the mom of a young child (especially one under 3) is rewarding, but also a real strain on your mood. "Moment to moment, you may be tired and sometimes angry, though kids do bring joy" says Peter Ubel, M.D., a professor of medicine and psychology at the University of Michigan. In fact, on their list of enjoyable activities, moms rank childcare lower than eating, exercising, or watching TV, according to a University of Michigan study, and kid care rates only slightly higher than housework, working, or commuting!
One reason for the difference between moms and experts: selective memory. When psychologists ask moms in a general way if they like spending time with their kids, the overwhelming majority say they do because they're thinking of fun activities like reading a book or playing in the park. When they're specifically asked to describe their actual daily routine, they remember the hours they spent struggling to get their child dressed or ready for bed.
Maybe, though, the psychologists are missing the intensity of joy that time spent with your child can bring. Luckily, those moments can overcome your daily frustrations. "Happiness is more than just that smiley feeling," says Karen Reivich, Ph.D., a research associate in the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania. "It's also feeling a connection to something larger than yourself. When people are in service to something bigger, they describe their lives as filled with meaning."
Which of the following best summarizes Peter Ubel’s opinion of being the mom of a young child?
A. It makes the mom exhausted. B. It is both rewarding and stressful. C. It makes the mom easily irritated. D. It is quite frustrating an experience.正确答案B
