Ode to the Blogosphere

Blogosphere, blogosphere, where have you been?
I think I have found my new best friend.

For what reason you ask, I’ve got reasons galore,
In the interest of time, here I’ll give you four:

1) You make me feel good about me. Yes, You.

2) You teach me that placing value on parenting isn’t just an issue for mommies, it’s for daddies too.

3) You lure me in with your blogs and lead me to inspirational stories that demonstrate how being a mother—a parent—isn’t about our sexuality, it’s about loving our children and raising them as best we can.

4) You help me remember that I’m not alone in the challenges I face as a mother and you even make me laugh about it through your conversation!

Oh, thank you, thank you, dear blogosphere,
In my heart and on my internet toolbar I’ll keep you near.

Are you looking for a new friend, quite possibly another mom?
May I suggest you browse the web, start with blogher.com


Happy Blogging!

"Just a..." No More!

When talking about being a mom and that being enough, really, what we’re talking about is value. Is there value in being “just a mom?” Of course there is! So, why is it even being discussed or questioned? It is due to the fact that traditionally, caring for children has not been valued.
 

“Few men in positions of authority have any firsthand experience caring for children and therefore no basis for understanding just how difficult and important a job it is. Their ignorance helps perpetuate a system that takes the work for granted."  (The Price of Motherhood, Crittenden, p. 241)

It’s time for mothers (and fathers), who see the value and choose to focus on the raising of their children, to band together and embrace the job they do. It is, after all hard work, very hard work, raising a child, let alone, multiple children.


I found a “momversation” on momversation.com that addresses this very subject and it is truly a call to mothers out there to take pride and ownership in what they do.


I was particularly struck with the following statements:

“You have to own what you do.” Cyndi Davis (napwarden.com)

I ask this question, if you don’t “own” it and place a value in it, how can we expect “they” will do it?

“It’s funny. I think we’re over thinking the problem…being a mom is F-ing awesome. It’s enough. It’s an incredible contribution. So I think we can stop right there.”  Mindy Roberts ( themommyblog.net)

Mindy speaks the truth, it IS F-ing awesome and I say 'Amen' to her statements! I wish it were that easy, and that we could stop right there. We can’t though, we have to keep fighting the good fight until all mothers and fathers have the option to stay at home to raise their children and do so without fear of being “just a…”. Who’s with me?!

“I think we need to make a pact, right here, right now to banish the ‘just a…’ from our description of ourselves…as in ‘just a mom.’” Karen Walrond (chookooloonks.com)

I’m in…I promise to take the “just a…” out of my vocabulary and I’ll teach my kids to do the same. Take pride in what you do it has a value—IT HAS A VALUE!

I love that this “momversation” exists and is out there in the universe. If more moms (and dads) jumped on this bandwagon, become more vocal about it and take pride in the fact that they are not “just a…” rather, they are a contributing member of society. They are contributing in a BIG way. Maybe when this happens, we may see a shift in how the universe sees the values.


That is a dream I won’t give up on.