PTA Sets its Sights on Working Parents

Stay-at-home-moms and stay-at-home-dads, you’re just not cutting it anymore. The parent teacher associations and organizations of the world have ever thinning ranks these days, so they’re going rogue.

They’re dropping their commitment requirements to draw more working parents into the fold. Continue reading »

Working Mom’s Paycheck Takes Childcare Blow

A working mom might not be the “caregiver” during the day for her kids, but she’s the one still carrying the burden.

According to a story over at MSNBC this week, women are overwhelmingly making the childcare arrangements for their kids, and the cost of paying the sitter comes out of her paycheck. Continue reading »

They Say: Working Parents Don’t Have Time to Eat Right

A small nutritional study out of Cornell University found that working parents often resort to time-saving coping strategies when it comes to feeding themselves and their families.

Can I get a “well, duh?”

With the exception of the foodies, most of the parents I know look into their fridge and dinner and think to themselves, “Okay, what’s the shortest path to a semi-nutritious meal?”  It’s hard to think about preparing a major meal at the end of a long work day, with homework, bath, and bedtime still ahead.

Continue reading »

The Real Reason She Can’t Walk to School

We’re a nation of terrified parents. Scared of the Philip Garridos of the world, the faceless man who will come to steal our children right out from under our noses. That’s why the New York Times says we don’t let our kids walk to school anymore.

True enough, but there’s another story out here in the wilderness. Parents aren’t afraid their child is going to be touched by a stranger. They’re afraid he’s going to run them over. Continue reading »

They Say: Daycare Makes Friends for Mom

Stop hanging your daycare-loving head in shame, Mom. A new study says what’s good for our sanity (and our paychecks) is also good for our circle of friends.

Researchers at the University of Chicago found that moms who put their kids in daycare were likely to have at least one more “good friend” than moms going it alone.

I’m going to admit I’m a teensy bit surprised by this one. Continue reading »

Hail to the Breadwinner

Today on Babble:

“Hail to the Breadwinner”

By Aaron Traister

A stay-at-home dad praises working parents.

Read it here.

Americans and Their Family Vacation Issues

Kim Brooks recently wrote an essay — published right here on Babble.com — arguing that Europeans know how to take family vacations, while Americans still don’t have a clue. Her piece focused on the fact that in most European countries, employers automatically give their employees four — sometimes as much as five — weeks of vacation, which explains why so many people in the U.K., France, Hungary and other non-U.S. countries take off the entire month of August to revel in the pleasures of ambling summer days spent with family.

I think Kim is absolutely right. The fact that many companies here in the U.S. view vacation time as a luxury — often parceling out a mere week’s worth of days off until an employee has years of seniority under his or her belt — is wrong. But I think that’s only one part of what makes it so hard for many people in this country to enjoy family vacation time. It’s not just that we don’t get the time. It’s that we don’t know how to spend it.

Continue reading »

Working Moms Hug Babies as Much as Politicians

Good news for working moms: your hugability factor has been backed up by a new study. In other words, the rest of the world now knows what you’ve known since the minute that bundle of joy arrived: you hug your kids just as much as the stay-at-home moms. Continue reading »

Careful What You Wish For

Today on Babble:

“Be Careful What You Wish For”

By Sasha Brown-Worsham

My husband always envied my staying at home. Then he lost his job…

Read it here.

LA Debates Pay to Watch Your Own Kids

If you’re a working parent jealous of the stay-at-home set, cover your ears. Out-of-work parents in Los Angeles may actually get paid to watch their own kids!

With the state’s finances an utter disaster (sorry, it’s true,) LA is discussing a plan that would provide childcare payments to thousands of parents currently on welfare. In other words? Continue reading »