All I Want For Mother’s Day

My goodness, there is a lot of hype out there over Mother’s Day. Every business under the sun is hocking something special for Mom. And every mommy blogger is jostling for a piece of the action: We’re moms! We know what we want. And what do we want? Bluetooth headsets, tote bags, teeth whitening and more. Now far be it from me to take the air out of anyone’s shopping sails, especially when shopping can be done in the name of economic recovery, but it really is a bit much.

If half as much time and energy were put toward forwarding some real mom-friendly initiatives as is spent on marketing for Mother’s Day, we might be lightyears ahead. So here’s a rare and uncharacteristically earnest call to arms at the Playground Confidential. All I want for Mother’s Day is:

1. Universal, state-sponsored child care. In a society based on a two-income household the burden of paying for full-time child care is unduly harsh. Many women with two or more young children actually cannot afford to go back to work and pay for quality daycare. Looking at the business end of my (sweet Canadian) maternity leave in five months time, I know that I will not be afford full-time care for my two kids, plus the additional transportation, wardrobe (let’s face it), and convenience food (you know it’s true) costs associated with my working. So I’ll try to do it all, take care of the kids and work from home and scramble for child care on an ad hoc basis as the work comes in. But I shouldn’t have to. And neither should you.

2. Paid and Extended Maternity/Parental leave for all. We have it pretty good here in Canada where most women qualify for a year of leave at half pay. But we can do better. Benefits max out at $400 per week which means that many women who earn good salaries take a substantial (more than 50%) pay cut. But for those with more modest salaries, half pay is really just peanuts. Also, it doesn’t cover self-employed women at all. Freelancer? Entrepreneur? Then you get nadda. Just like in the States! In the US, women are only assured 12 weeks of unpaid leave by the government. Pathetic. And we’re supposed to breastfeed and attachment parent, too?!?

3. A Healthy Environment for Growing Kids. Yes, some things do seem suddenly more important when you become a parent. I’m no eco-mom per se, but I try to do my part. Our children will need clean air and water and fertile soil and real food for decades to come. And they need a healthy environment now. That includes vibrant communities with places for walking and biking and, hell, even skateboarding. City parks and thriving urban streetscapes are pivotal for healthy city living. We need a push toward neighborhoods and away from isolated suburban enclaves. And more public money needs to go to clean, safe, and reliable public transit so our kids can have the freedom to explore.

4. Qualified Teachers Making Good Money. We really do need to put our money where our mouth is as a society. It never ceases to amaze me how little we pay the people who care for our children. From daycare workers to high school teachers, there is such little value placed on the essential and important work these people do. Many of the best teachers feel a special calling to the profession and thank god for that. Because they sure as hell wouldn’t be drawn by money or glory. We need to reward those dedicated and talented teachers and entice many more of our brighter minds to the classroom.

5. A Homemade Card and Breakfast in Bed. After all that time and energy is spent pushing for those mother-inspired initiatives, I wouldn’t mind sleeping in. So, sure, a coffee and a bagel and the paper in bed would be nice. And what mom doesn’t revel in her children’s artwork?

Okay, if you must, mama can always use a new pair of shoes. But only because we do need to stimulate the economy, right?

Image courtesy of emilywjones on Flickr.