“What do you like to do for fun?” I often pose this question to the over-scheduled and stressed out teenage girls who come into my office. Some give me a look as if to say the last time they did something seemingly fun and frivolous was a spontaneous trip to the ice skating rink years [...]
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The Power of Women’s Humor: From Supreme Court Justices to Comedy Stars
Novelist Fay Weldon instructs us that, “Comedy is the most crucial thing we have left in a world that’s coming apart.” Comedy in all its familiar forms–from novels to films, from cartoons to stand-up comedy, from humor in the workplace to humor in intimate relationships–can help women recognize new sources of power within themselves. The [...]
Can “Maybe” Empower Our Children in Times of Fear?
I can remember like yesterday sitting at the dinner table as a child with my parents and siblings and feeling like the world was going to end. My parents would openly discuss current events, such as the hostage crisis in Iran, the assassination attempt on President Reagan, Black Monday in the stock market and the [...]
Showing That “Every Mother Counts”
With all the commercialization of Mother’s Day, it’s important to stop and remember what it’s really about. Take this into consideration: Pregnancy is the number one cause of death for women ages 15 to 19 in the developing world. Not only that, but there are one to two maternal deaths caused by everyday in the [...]
In The Kingdom of The Sick: A Book About Chronic Illness in America
When Laurie Edwards asked me if I was interested in receiving an early copy of In the Kingdom of the Sick: A Social History of Chronic Illness in America, I thought it was a great match – I have endometriosis and hypothyroidism, both chronic illnesses. Since my diagnosis years ago I have been an avid [...]
On Mother’s Day, Give The Flowers and Get Mommy a Blog
In my house, Mother’s Day might live in infamy as “The Day That Mommy Lost It.” Last year I told my husband that I didn’t want anything for Mother’s Day. “Don’t get me flowers. Don’t get me chocolate. I don’t want a card,” I said. My husband listened to my advice. He did get me [...]
When Big Pharma “Strong” Arms Mothers, We All Lose
Corporations have a very bad habit of telling moms how to be. Or better yet, co-opting some very common “mom” archetypes for their marketing pursuits. For decades, we were told “Choosy Moms Choose Jif.” More recently, “It Moms” were more likely to choose a particular fabric softener. This week, infant formula maker Similac has taken [...]
Doctor Who, Jill Biden?
Doctor Who? No, not Dr. Who. “Doctor Who?” is what the National Review Online asks about Dr. Jill Biden, wife of the Vice President. Apparently, that well-regarded think-tank takes issue with such insistence upon a professional distinction. In the article entitled, “Diagnosing Dr. Biden: The second lady exemplifies a bloated class of people with irrelevant, [...]
Our Love/Hate Relationship with the Term “Mommy Blogger”
Mommy blogger. Do you love the term or hate? If you aren’t sure, you’re not alone. I spent two years as a mommy blogger, during the tail end of a 20-year career as a newspaper journalist, and I went back and forth on how I felt about the term. When I first started blogging about [...]
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I Want My Mother Back
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Charles Ramsey and the Racial Language Barrier
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Brave’s Merida is Herself Again. But for How Long?
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Can “Maybe” Empower Our Children in Times of Fear?
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Will My Ice Floe Have Starbucks and Wi-fi?
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The Sound of One Hand Praying?
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Pussy Riot: Feminist Punk Icons on Film
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Two Very Different Takes on Working Family Flexiblity
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The Doubled Edged Sword of Murder Charges Against Ariel Castro
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What is REALLY Important to Military Families
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Tina: This article confirms our decisions about college....
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Joanne Bamberger: @Jonathan, That is an excellent point. We should ...
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Jonathan Menon: Not that this comment of mine has any real relevan...
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Christina Gleason @ WELL, in THIS House: I think this would make a huge difference in the e...
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Beverly Uhlmer: Thank you, Deb. I have lived in several different...