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In This Issue
DC Dispatch
Missing: The American Middle Class
Motherhood:...The Next Generation
Where the Boys Are...or the Man of the House
Social Security - A Mystery No More
Hunger Is A (Single) Mother's Issue
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 May 24, 2011

Greetings!

 

The holiday weekend looms and summer beckons.  Before we throw all serious thought to the wind, here's the latest issue of MOTHERS Enews.  You'll find out the latest on politics and motherhood, how Gen Y women see their futures shaping up, and consider what dads want out of the work/family discussion.  We also offer ways to demystify Social Security and offer some sobering facts about hunger in the US. At the end, we send out a call for a book reviewer - could it be you? 
 
We'd love to hear what you're thinking, so get in touch anytime with Your (Wo)Man in Washington at
[email protected].  

  

Bring on summer!

 

The mothers of MOTHERS.


P.S.  Don't forget to follow the NAMC, Valerie Young, and Your (Wo)Man in Washington on Facebook and Twitter  and share our posts with your Facebook friends.

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DispatchDC Dispatch - Healthy Families Act

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Were your ears burning?  Policy makers in Washington are considering two issues which bear directly on the economic impact of family caregiving.  The Healthy Families Act has been introduced - again! - In both the US House and Senate.  This is the paid sick days bill which would allow workers to take 7 days per year to tend to their own illness or care for a child or other sick family member, if they are employed full time.  Part-time workers would have an amount of time proportional to their hours, and employers with at least 15 employees would be subject to the law.  The leave could also be used for routine or preventive doctor visits, like a child's annual checkup or a mammogram or other routine screening.  Secondly, there is a concerted effort to wipe out the health insurance reform bill passed last session.   The Secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, spoke directly to women in a recent article, outlining the major benefits to them, which would of course disappear if the de-funding effort is successful. Click here to find out more.

WomaninWashingtonMissing: The American Middle Class

Do you understand how come it got so bad for so many households these days? I've been looking at "The American Middle Class Under Stress" report by Sherle R. Schewenninger and Samuel Sherraden of the New America Foundation. It probably won't make you feel any better, or suddenly fill up your bank account, but sometimes understanding a situation can make it a bit more bearable. Here's the skinny, in just three short paragraphs! Read the entire (Wo)man in Washington blog here.

 NextGenerationMotherhood: The Next Generation

What do Gen Y women expect their lives to be like?  One researcher says equal parts work and family, with a rejection of high-octane jobs and all-consuming work.  It's tempting to think that their expectations will influence workplace culture, and lead to a more equitable sharing within the home of the income-generating work and the unpaid, household and family care work.  Didn't many of us expect the same, only to hit the "maternal wall" and persistent sexism decades after the women's liberation movement?  Will it be different for them? Read the Washington Post on topic here.

BoysWhere the Boys Are...or the Man of the House

Work/life expert and blogger Cali Yost used the preceding item as a jumping off point for this piece about the role of men in the conversation of workplace flexibility and the role they want to play in their children's lives. 

SocialSecuritySocial Security - A Mystery No More

Yes, you can... understand Social Security.  There has never been a more effective federal program.  It shields millions of seniors, mostly women, from poverty, and it protects families after the death or disability of a parent.  Now that it is in the headlights of the deficit hawks in Congress, you need to know how your future is at stake.  Will it soon be "broke"? No.  Does it need a tune up?  Yes.  Here's a nifty powerpoint from two of the foremost experts in the country, Virginia Reno and Elisa Walker.

HungerHunger Is A (Single) Mother's Issue

Imagine working a full-time job, raising your kids alone, trying to keep it all together day after day, and not being able to feed your children.  Even with hunger or "food insecurity" as it's called in public policy circles, gender makes a difference.  Female headed households are the most likely to come up short at the supermarket. Well over a third of single mother households, 36.6%, have at least one member cutting back on meals, skipping meals altogether, or going without food for a whole day. In 2009, over 50 million people in the US experienced hunger, including over 9 million children, 12% of all children in the US. Read Women's Issues article on mothers and hunger here.  

GoodWomenLooking for a Few Good (Wo)Men ... Who Read

There are more books about mothers, mothering, women, and caregiving than we can stay on top of around here.  If you like to read, think about these issues and chew 'em over with other mothers, consider becoming our MOTHERS Bookshelf Editor.  We'd be looking for regular summaries, short author interviews, discussions, book group type questions-and-answers to appear right here in the MOTHERS Enews.  No hard deadlines, no stress, just a willingness and interest required.  Send an email to Valerie at [email protected]