The Writer's Educational Diary
As a satirical journalist who's spent the better part of my career dissecting the beautiful absurdity of modern life, I knew when I sat down to write "What Would Erma Bombeck Do?" that I was attempting something both ambitious and potentially dangerous. Channeling the voice of America's most beloved domestic humorist while tackling contemporary parenting culture required walking a tightrope between homage and authenticity, between reverence and relevance.
Let me pull back the curtain on how this piece came together, because understanding the craft behind satirical journalism can help both aspiring writers and readers appreciate the deliberate choices that make social commentary both funny and meaningful.
Before I could write about what Erma would do, I had to understand why Erma still matters forty years after her peak popularity. The answer became my foundational principle: Erma Bombeck's humor style worked because she found universal truths in specific domestic situations. She didn't just make fun of suburban motherhood – she revealed the gap between idealistic expectations and chaotic reality that every parent experiences regardless of their circumstances.
This realization shaped my entire approach. I couldn't simply mimic her voice or transplant her observations into modern settings. Instead, I needed to apply her technique of finding deeper truths within surface-level cultural trends. Every section had to serve dual purposes: making readers laugh at contemporary parenting absurdities while helping them recognize patterns that transcend specific eras or trends.
The challenge was maintaining this balance throughout a piece that covers multiple parenting phenomena. Each trend required individual analysis while contributing to the overarching thesis that parenting pressure has always existed – it just manifests differently depending on cultural context and available technology.
Effective satirical journalism requires extensive research, though the research process for comedy writing differs significantly from traditional journalistic investigation. I spent weeks immersing myself in contemporary parenting culture through multiple lenses: academic studies, parenting blogs, social media trends, product marketing, and direct observation of actual families navigating these pressures.
The University of Kansas study about parents trusting ChatGPT more than doctors became a cornerstone finding because it perfectly encapsulated the central absurdity I wanted to explore. When I discovered that real parents are actually taking medical advice from artificial intelligence systems, I knew I had struck satirical gold. This wasn't exaggeration for comedic effect – this was documented reality that already bordered on self-parody.
I studied Erma Bombeck's satirical writing techniques by analyzing her column structure, identifying how she built from specific observations to universal insights. Her genius lay in starting with relatable domestic details and gradually revealing larger truths about human nature, family dynamics, and social expectations. This became my template for each section.
The research phase also involved understanding contemporary comedian perspectives on parenting culture. I collected quotes from current performers addressing similar themes, not just for inclusion in the piece but to understand how modern comic voices approach topics that Bombeck pioneered. This helped me bridge generational gaps while maintaining authenticity to both eras.
The decision to organize the piece around specific parenting trends rather than chronological development or demographic categories was deliberate and strategic. Each trend represents a different manifestation of the same underlying phenomenon: parents' desire to provide optimal experiences for their children, combined with cultural pressure to demonstrate competence through visible choices and investments.
I structured each section using what I call the "satirical sandwich" approach. Every trend discussion begins with concrete, observable details that establish credibility and relatability. The middle section amplifies the absurdity through Erma Bombeck's approach to domestic satire – finding the universal human truth within the specific cultural manifestation. The conclusion provides contemporary validation through comedian quotes that show these observations resonate across different comic voices and audiences.
This structure serves multiple educational purposes. Readers who recognize themselves in the opening descriptions feel validated rather than attacked. The amplification section helps them see their experiences from a broader perspective. The contemporary quotes demonstrate that feeling overwhelmed by parenting culture is a shared experience rather than personal failure.
The progression from AI parenting through organic obsessions to competitive scheduling follows an escalating complexity pattern. Each trend builds on the previous section's foundation, creating a cumulative effect that illustrates how multiple parenting pressures compound rather than operate independently.
The most challenging aspect of this project was developing a voice that honored Erma Bombeck's legacy while remaining authentic to contemporary concerns and language patterns. Domestic humor writing expert Erma Bombeck wrote in an era of different family structures, technological limitations, and cultural expectations. Simply imitating her style would have felt forced and anachronistic.
Instead, I focused on adopting her analytical approach: starting with personal experience, identifying patterns that extend beyond individual circumstances, and finding humor in the gap between expectations and reality. Her voice was conversational, self-deprecating, and ultimately compassionate toward the struggles she observed. These qualities translate across eras better than specific vocabulary or cultural references.
I practiced this voice development through multiple drafts, constantly asking myself: "How would Erma approach this topic?" rather than "How would Erma write about this topic?" The distinction is crucial. Her approach involved curiosity about human nature, skepticism toward perfectionist pressures, and gentle mockery of social pretensions. Her writing style was simply the vehicle for delivering these insights.
The challenge intensified when incorporating contemporary comedian quotes. These needed to feel like natural extensions of the analysis rather than forced validation. I selected quotes that complemented rather than repeated the observations, providing different perspectives on similar themes while maintaining the overall narrative flow.
One of the most important decisions I made was targeting parenting culture systems rather than individual parents. Erma Bombeck's wit and wisdom always focused on social pressures and cultural expectations rather than personal failures or individual inadequacies. She understood that most parenting struggles result from impossible standards rather than parental incompetence.
This principle guided every section. When discussing AI parenting, I focused on the absurdity of technological solutions to human connection challenges rather than mocking parents who use these tools. When exploring organic food obsessions, I targeted the marketing and social pressure that creates these expectations rather than criticizing families who make these choices.
This approach serves both comedic and educational purposes. Satirical writing that targets individuals often feels mean-spirited and defensive. Satirical writing that examines systems and cultural patterns helps readers understand broader forces affecting their experiences while providing relief through shared recognition and understanding.
The technique also allows for more complex analysis. Individual behavior can seem random or inexplicable, but cultural patterns reveal underlying logic and motivations that help explain why particular trends emerge and persist despite their obvious contradictions or limitations.
Including current comedian quotes wasn't just about adding celebrity validation to the observations. These quotes serve as cultural translation devices, helping readers understand that the phenomena I'm describing are widely recognized and discussed across different platforms and audiences.
Erma Bombeck's columns appeared in an era when shared cultural references were more limited but also more universal. Today's media landscape fragments audiences into smaller communities with specialized interests and perspectives. The comedian quotes help bridge these gaps by providing familiar voices discussing similar themes from different angles.
The selection process for these quotes required careful consideration of comedic style, audience appeal, and thematic relevance. I wanted voices that complemented rather than overshadowed the analysis while representing different demographic perspectives and comedic approaches. Jerry Seinfeld's observational style echoes Bombeck's technique, while Amy Schumer's more direct approach provides contemporary contrast.
This integration strategy also addresses the challenge of writing about current trends that may not have historical precedent. Bombeck could reference shared cultural experiences that most readers understood. Contemporary satirical writing must navigate more fragmented cultural landscapes while maintaining broad appeal and accessibility.
Throughout the writing process, I maintained focus on the educational potential of satirical journalism. The goal wasn't simply to entertain readers but to help them understand cultural patterns that might be affecting their own family experiences. Erma Bombeck's suburban humor always served this dual purpose: providing immediate comedic relief while offering longer-term perspective on domestic challenges.
This educational mission influenced every structural and stylistic decision. The research foundation ensures accuracy and credibility. The voice development maintains accessibility without sacrificing analytical depth. The satirical strategy provides insight rather than just mockery. The contemporary integration helps readers understand broader cultural contexts for their personal experiences.
The piece aims to help parents recognize that feeling overwhelmed by contemporary parenting culture represents normal responses to abnormal cultural pressures rather than personal inadequacy or parental failure. This recognition can be both liberating and empowering, providing permission to prioritize family well-being over cultural conformity.
The educational approach also explains why the piece concludes with Erma's central insight: good parenting isn't about perfect systems or meeting impossible standards. It's about showing up with love, maintaining perspective during chaos, and remembering that family relationships matter more than external validation or cultural approval.
Writing satirical journalism for contemporary audiences requires understanding how people consume content differently than previous generations. Attention spans are shorter, information sources are more diverse, and readers often encounter content through social media rather than traditional publications. These realities influenced my structural and stylistic choices throughout the piece.
The section organization allows readers to engage with individual topics independently while maintaining overall narrative coherence. Each trend discussion can stand alone as a complete observation while contributing to the cumulative argument about parenting culture complexity. This flexibility accommodates different reading preferences and sharing patterns.
The integration of hyperlinks and contemporary references acknowledges how modern readers move between different information sources and platforms. Rather than fighting these patterns, I embraced them by creating content that rewards both focused reading and broader exploration of related topics and resources.
The length and pacing balance comprehensive analysis with accessibility concerns. Each section provides enough depth to support serious reflection while maintaining momentum that keeps readers engaged through the complete piece. This balance required extensive editing and revision to achieve optimal information density without overwhelming complexity.
This project reinforced my understanding that effective satirical journalism requires deep empathy for the subjects being examined. Erma Bombeck's writing worked because she genuinely understood and appreciated the challenges facing suburban families. Her humor came from shared experience rather than superior observation.
Writing about contemporary parenting culture required similar empathy and understanding. I had to recognize that parents using AI assistance, pursuing organic everything, or optimizing their children's schedules are motivated by love and concern rather than narcissism or competitiveness. The satirical target should be cultural systems that create impossible expectations, not individuals trying to navigate those systems successfully.
I also learned that satirical writing serves important social functions beyond entertainment. By helping people recognize and laugh at cultural absurdities, satirical journalism can provide perspective and relief that enables better decision-making and reduced anxiety. This therapeutic function justifies the time and effort required to craft effective social commentary.
The experience confirmed that Erma Bombeck's approach remains relevant and applicable to contemporary cultural analysis. Her techniques for finding universal truths within specific cultural manifestations continue to provide valuable frameworks for understanding and explaining social phenomena through humor and insight.
Ultimately, writing "What Would Erma Bombeck Do?" was an exercise in cultural archaeology and contemporary analysis. By examining current parenting trends through the lens of America's most beloved domestic humorist, I hoped to provide both historical perspective and contemporary insight that might help families navigate modern cultural pressures with greater confidence and less anxiety.
The piece argues that parenting has always involved cultural pressures and social expectations that can overwhelm genuine family connection and individual well-being. The specific manifestations change – AI assistance instead of Dr. Spock, organic food instead of convenience meals, digital documentation instead of photo albums – but the underlying challenge remains consistent across generations.
This historical perspective can be both comforting and empowering for contemporary parents who might feel uniquely pressured by current cultural expectations. Understanding that every generation faces parenting trends that seem simultaneously essential and overwhelming can provide permission to prioritize family harmony over cultural conformity.
The work also demonstrates how satirical journalism can serve educational purposes by helping readers understand complex cultural phenomena through accessible and entertaining analysis. This approach makes social criticism more palatable and potentially more effective than academic or journalistic writing that might feel accusatory or overwhelming.
In the end, I hope this piece honors Erma Bombeck's legacy while providing contemporary families with tools for understanding and navigating current parenting culture with humor, perspective, and confidence. If readers finish the piece feeling less alone in their struggles and more empowered to make family decisions based on their own values rather than external expectations, then the satirical mission has been accomplished successfully.
Katie Rich is a satirical journalist and former Saturday Night Live writer who specializes in finding humor in contemporary cultural phenomena. Her work has appeared in numerous publications, and she continues to explore how comedy can provide insight into modern social challenges.