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OTHER SPRING 2008 ARTICLES

On April 4-6 the National Association of Mothers Centers (NAMC) hosted Mothers 08:Thinking Beyond Ourselves and Beyond Today. NAMC is 33 years old.

About 120 moms from 15 groups across the US came together to discuss both public and individual issues around mothering. Workshops included Creating Community, From the Kitchen to the Corner Office, Maternal Profiling, Enjoying Adolescence, Activism in Childbirth and Mothering, Advocating Effectively for Children with Special Needs, Igniting the Fire: Inspire a New Generation of Empowered Women, and Theater for Empowerment.

In addition to Mothers Centers members, several national activist groups participated: Welfare Warriors, MOTHERS (Mothers Ought To Have Equal Rights), Mommies Network, The Motherhood Project, Moms Acting Up, Mothers and More, Mothers Movement On Line, NOW Mothers and Caregivers. We all participated in a Mothers National Organization Roundtable.

At the Roundtable we discussed the creation of a national Mothers Movement, similar to the feminist movement. I am excited about that possibility.  I committed myself to working on a Mothers Movement during the next decade. Unfortunately I was the only represent of single moms in poverty at this conference. I look forward to changing that.

MOTHERS brought their list of what moms really want. It reflects the specific needs of middle class moms.  The Welfare Warriors, with input from the Welfare Rights Committee in Minnesota, created a similar list specific to single moms in poverty. The lists clearly indicate the challenges we face to create a multi-class and multi-race Mothers Movement. 

 From Mothers and More:

 Mom Metrics

•     81% of US women will become mothers.
•     69% of moms work for pay, in addition to providing 2/3 of the unpaid family care.
•     Ünpaid caregiving is not counted as work in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP)..
•     Women spend an average of 11.5 years out of the workforce, caring for children and/or elders. For each year out of the workforce, a mother receives 0 credit toward Social Security Benefits.•     Among young women and men with no children, women earn 98% of men’s wages. Yet mothers make 73% or less of the wages of all others in the workforce.
•       Of the world’s wealthiest nations, only 2--the US and Australia--do not provide paid parental leave for full-time employees.

For 6 years MOTHERS has used Mother’s Day to bring attention to a multitude of issues that affect family caregivers. This year we’re proud to present TOP 10 MOTHER’S DAY GIFTS WE REALLY WANT. In our society mothering is one of the least supported jobs around. Why do so many more women live in poverty than men? The answer – motherhood.

TOP 10 MOTHER’S DAY GIFTS WE REALLY WANT

10        Paid Sick Leave

9          Paid Family Leave

8          Safe affordable accessible child care

7          Part time jobs with proportionate pay and benefits

6     Educational opportunities to facilitate re-entry into the paid workforce after caregiving breaks

5     Easy access to information about maternal health and child development

4     Unpaid family caregiving valued as productive work by society

3     A maternal voice in public policies & practices

2     A Mothers’ Center in every community

1     Membership in the NAMC to make these changes happen.

Mothers: Changing The Conversation.

MOTHERS’ list reflects the specific needs of middle class moms.  The Welfare Warriors with  input from the Welfare Rights Committee in Minnesota, created the following list specific to single moms in poverty:

Top Ten Mothers Day Gifts We Really Want

 10        Government Guaranteed Child Support for ALL US minor

9           An end to all welfare time limits

8       Access to post-secondary education for single moms on  welfare (TANF)

7      Welfare Grants that provide enough to do a good job of parenting (at LEAST to bring all grants up to the Poverty Level!!!) 

6      True incentives for Moms to go to work. A savings program where the earnings saved would not count against the grant (Similar to Social Security's PASS program); Maybe even with a matching grant to help mom's pay for education, home ownership, or starting their own business. 

5          Minimum of 10 paid sick days (for worker or child) on all jobs

4          Free Bus Transportation in all cities and towns

3          Six month time limit for government disability determinations

2      Recognition of the VALUE of parenting as an Occupation. "Hire" Parents to do their best and most important work. Raising future citizens of the world. Offer all the tools possible and the knowledge and support to do a great job.

1           All types of motherwork counted and included in all countrys’ budgets

The two lists indicate the challenges we face to create a multi-class and multi-race Mothers Movement.