Dr. Laura's First Look at New Book

This is a rush transcript from "Hannity," April 7, 2009. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

SEAN HANNITY, HOST: All right, so being a stay-at-home mother is one of the toughest jobs in the world, and yet, it doesn't always get the amount of respect that it deserves. Well, in her brand-new book, "In Praise of Stay-at-Home Moms," our good friend Dr. Laura Schlessinger has some advise for these very important women and some words of encouragement for new parents plotting their families' future.

When are you going to — you want make me blush now or later?

DR. LAURA SCHLESSINGER, AUTHOR: No, it might come up. I don't know.

HANNITY: It always does. I think you do it on purpose.

First of all, we demonize stay-at-home moms.

• Video: Watch Sean's interview

SCHLESSINGER: Yes.

HANNITY: The media demonizes them. It's the hardest job in the world.

SCHLESSINGER: Stupid. Lazy. Wasting their lives. It's dangerous. Because after all, you could have married a jerk, and he could just walk out on you and leave you cold and dry. It's all this negativity surrounding the most blessed, wonderful thing a woman can do.

And I didn't get my had straightened out to think that way, having been in college in the '60s, feminist thinking. And I'm really glad that at 35, suddenly, I realized, with all the success and hard work and accomplishment, that there was something in the texture of life that was missing, and that was being a mommy. And that doesn't just mean producing one. It means actually nurturing, loving, raising, being there...

HANNITY: A lot of fathers, the same thing. I mean, you know what? Just because you can produce one doesn't make you a dad. It's the action.

You know, you make decisions in your career. People say, "Well, you're a career woman. Who are you?"

But you — for example, I built a radio studio right near my — five minutes from my house. Why? So I could be around my children all day. You've done — you've made the same decisions.

SCHLESSINGER: Yes, I worked my life around my kid. It is remarkable that you and I...

HANNITY: Who is an American hero.

SCHLESSINGER: Thank you. You and I, as successful as we are, but you know, you have a wonderful wife at home, taking care of the kids. But I know you always make the point of being there.

And I guess what really hurts my heart and the reason I wrote the book to praise stay-at-home moms is because it pains me that any woman would want to accept that her arms, her love, her voice, her caresses, her teaching, her laughter, her being there can be equally done by hired help.

HANNITY: You talk about the attitude with which women go through their daily chores, and you can do it negatively, or you can do it positively. You tell them — here we go — to understand their husband's day when they walk in the house, that they probably had a tough day. And you go — you talk about nurturing that relationship, which helps the children, you know — see how I'm mumbling all over myself here?

SCHLESSINGER: No, but you're making a very good point. Because just because you're at home with the kids doesn't necessarily mean you're making the best of it. And it requires a certain attitude.

And being with kids all day long, as one mother said — actually, she liked it — my kid sneezed up some desert thing all over her face. She says — "this is funny and that's a moment I'm glad I didn't miss."

But you have to decide you're a team. So when Dad comes in — you should notice Dad. When Dad walks in, he compliments what's there. "I just went through a hell of day in traffic, and I came home to the most beautiful, wonderful woman in the world and all these kids."

HANNITY: And that's going to get you far. You point that out.

SCHLESSINGER: It's going to get you sex. We did it!

HANNITY: Oh, geez. You — why? Why did I say it?

SCHLESSINGER: I like watching you blush.

HANNITY: But you — but you're serious. In other words, if the guy comes home, and he's mean and cranky and he brings his work home, that's not going to foster a relationship.

SCHLESSINGER: You know, "Why is this happening? Why isn't that happening?"

HANNITY: Yes.

SCHLESSINGER: You really...

HANNITY: I do that all the time. I'm like, "Why didn't you get that done? Why didn't..."

SCHLESSINGER: I doubt that.

HANNITY: I do at times.

SCHLESSINGER: You work together...

HANNITY: I'm not perfect, you know. But that's the — the advice is you've got to work...

SCHLESSINGER: I'm not writing your CV.

HANNITY: But the idea that, if the men do their part, and the women do their part, the children are going to be happy.

SCHLESSINGER: Men are very important in this. When Dads — for example, when you're in a social situation, for the dad to brag about his wife.

HANNITY: I read that.

SCHLESSINGER: Yes. Brag about your wife and what she does. Because I've gotten letters from women saying, "My husband bragged about, you know, his wife did this and that and everything. It's wonderful. He comes home and there's warmth and happiness and joy in the house."

HANNITY: What about people that say they can't afford it?

SCHLESSINGER: Well, you know, I don't think there's a stay-at-home mother existing that doesn't, because it's been a luxury — every time, no matter what the current economic situation or not, it's always a sacrifice.

HANNITY: Yes.

SCHLESSINGER: It always means you're giving up something. I mean, I remember we didn't have money for two cars. So my legs got strong, because I rode my son on the back of a bicycle, until it finally bent.

HANNITY: I — I started my life, and I had nothing. I mean, inasmuch as I grew up in a middle class house. But when I started my career I had nothing. I had dropped out of college three times because I couldn't afford to go. It made me a better person.

And I don't — but I was happy then. You know, people need to understand. Money is — it's cliched, but it's true. You can be a happy person without things.

SCHLESSINGER: Since the 60s, the mentality has been to things, acquisition and power. And I got this beautiful e-mail, and so many beautiful e-mails like this are in the book. This lady said, was describing all the things that they did. They had picnics instead of going to Disneyland. That was too expensive.

And all the things. And she said, "I was watching TV the other day" — probably FOX — "watching TV the other day, and I realized I'm living on the poverty level." She goes, "I wouldn't have known. We have a happy home, because the focus is on home and not two people competing and coming home so exhausted they have nothing to give each other."

HANNITY: The idea here, though, is these women that stay home, they don't get praise, and they deserve it.

SCHLESSINGER: No.

HANNITY: But you're giving them praise.

SCHLESSINGER: Lots of love and lots of praise.

HANNITY: I — I dodged a bullet tonight. I did not — I did not get red-faced. For the record, this is the first time.

SCHLESSINGER: Pink-faced.

HANNITY: A little. Yes. A little pink.

Anyway, by the way, Dr. Laura, always good to see you. Her radio show syndicated nationally all across the country.

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