DC Metro Moms

A Woman's Nation?

Maria Shriver, the Center for American Progress and NBC have been having a party, of sorts, with the launch and roll-out of The Shriver Report: A Woman's Nation Changes Everything. The gist of the report is this -- now that women officially make up half of the American work force, that's bound to help things change for us in terms of work/life balance, equal pay and how we as families negotiate family and work obligations.

The report contends that things are getting easier for women because more men are willing to chip in with the housework and husbands are increasingly viewing their wives differently because of their bread-winning obligations.

We should have more power because our numbers in the workforce are rising and we're the ones who make 80% of the big ticket money decisions in our homes.  But does all that translate into real change in the workplace? 

Topic Day: Children of the Recession

Last week, Katie Couric  wrote a moving piece for our sister NYC Moms Blog site about the Children of the Recession and spoke to twenty five SV Moms Group bloggers about this series. The piece mirrored a series, CBS Reports Children of the Recession.  In her post, Ms. Couric shared some shocking statistics:

The poll found that 56% of parents surveyed have discussed the economy with their kids, and half of all parents have discussed their own family’s financial situation. These conversations can be very uncomfortable, particularly if a parent has lost a job or is struggling to pay the bills.

Another poll statistic I found interesting concerned diet. 21% of parents said they are now buying generic brands and less expensive food items for their children.

There’s nothing wrong with store brands or generic brands. I do worry, though, that by “less expensive,” some people are pushed into choices that may not be as healthy, like fast food & meals, that could have a long-lasting impact on children, as well.

Ms. Couric then went on to ask how the recession is affecting our families and our children.  So today, the writers from all of our sites are blogging about just that: how is the economy affecting our families.  How are our own "children of the recession" doing?

Join us here and at all of our sister sites throughout the day to see what we have to say. 

SV Moms Blog
Chicago Moms Blog
DC Metro Moms Blog
50-Something Moms Blog
New York City Moms Blog
New Jersey Moms Blog
Deep South Moms Blog
Los Angeles Moms Blog
Rocky Mountain Moms Blog
Philadelphia Moms Blog
Canada Moms Blog

Tonight and tomorrow morning we'll also have a round up post sharing all of our blogs on the topic.

This is an original D.C. Metro Moms Blog post.  Stephanie also posts at her personal blog, Lawyer Mama, and at a kick ass political blog, MOMocrats.

Economy Isn't Slowing Down Inaugural Festivities

The powers that be in the nation's capital are working overtime to fix our economy.  I know this not so much because of all the media coverage, but because one of the dad's from PunditGirl's school is involved in the process.  His wife tells me he hasn't been home before about midnight for the last six months.

Of course, President-elect Barack Obama is also doing his part to move things along, making speeches about how it's not going to be easy and that we'll all need to make sacrifices to put our collective finances back on track, if that's possible after eight years of dire neglect and rampant deregulation.

But it appears that some families aren't paying attention and are going even deeper in debt to spend a few days in Washington, D.C. for the Obama inaugural events.

The Economy and the Holidays

I don't know about y'all, but just thinking about the economy these days gives me a stomach ache.  I refuse to look at my 401K statements and my other long term investments until things level off a bit.  Or maybe in 2010.  With the holidays upon us, virtually everyone I know is worried about spending and not spending, even if they aren't living in denial like me.  So today, all of the bloggers from the Silicon Valley, Los Angeles, Chicago, D.C. Metro, Deep South, New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Rocky Mountain, and 50 Something Moms blogs will be writing about how the economy will affect our holiday plans.

We also have something special to share with this Topic Day: the first Dine and Dish video filmed and produced by Yahoo.  It features 5 women from the Silicon Valley Moms Blog discussing how the economy is affecting their holiday.  Our new Yahoo Video Network will be an ongoing project, so I hope you'll check it out.

Dine and Dish-Nov 2008 @ Yahoo! Video

We'll have new posts on the Economy and the Holidays up on all the blogs, as well as a roundup post tomorrow morning, so don't forget to check back throughout the day.

 CLICK HERE to see all the economy themed  videos on the Silicon Valley Moms Group Yahoo Channel.

This is an original DC Metro Moms post.  Stephanie also lives in denial at Lawyer Mama and MOMocrats.

The Effect of the Economy on Schools

For the first time in many years, this fall I returned to the classroom to teach after being on hiatus from a more administrative role in central office.  My experience in central office taught me many things about the way the school system operates including budget cuts, spending freezes, internal politics, and staffing.

I’ve seen departments in our school system go through “restructuring” where departments are renamed, jobs are given new titles, and ultimately positions are cut.  I learned that central office “restructuring” always happened to try to insulate schools from drastic budget measures.  Schools were always the last to be touched…Or so I thought.

We recently had a staff meeting where we learned about how next year’s budget directly affects our school. Like other industries, I suppose it is no surprise that positions in our school will be cut.  We will be losing the equivalent of 4 positions belonging to classroom teachers and other positions

The Economy Topic Day Recap

Yesterday, bloggers across the Silicon Valley Moms Group sisterhood of sites poured their hearts out about these scary economic times.  For some it's been nothing more than a chance to appreciate what they have or cut out little luxuries like Starbucks coffee.  For others, it's been much more serious.  These poignant views of the dire economic situation seen through the eyes of our contributors puts a very honest and human face on the newspaper headlines.

Here's the round-up of our contributor's thoughts on our day dedicated to the economy:

New Jersey Moms Blog

• Shelli gives up her Starbucks in A Change is Brewing.
• Mary Kate can no longer hide in Hiding in the Sand.
• Vanessa begins to appreciate what she has in Taking Stock.
• Amber loses everything in an afternoon in The New Face of Welfare.

Chicago Moms Blog

• Karen shares Economical Lessons From My Parents
• Beth vents her anger in Virtual Pickpockets.
• Alma picks and chooses which corners to cut in I've Always Come in Economy Size.
• Mary Anne stops dreaming in No House for Us, in These Dark Times.
• Kim adjusts for unemployment in Job Wanted.
• Marcie looks at the big picture in Is the Economy Really That Bad?.
• Jennifer adjusts to leaner times in One Day You Have It, One Day You Don't.
• Laila breaks down the crisis in a Candle in a Monsoon.
• Amy bonds in an unexpected place in Free Economy Lesson in the Freezer Aisle

New York City Moms Blog

• Willa observes that in New York City, Times Are Getting Tougher
• Amy believes that Our Economy Works Like A Napless Three-Year-Old
• Nancy reflects on the area we use to call The World Trade Center in a very touching post, (Stair)Master Of The Universe
• Cynthia questions bailing out the irresponsible financial institutions in Bailout Schmailout

DC Metro Moms Blog

• Susan wants to know, Am I Living In Denial?
• Mary questions, What Can Kids Understand About The Economy?

Silicon Valley Moms Blog

• Robyn is riding out the storm in Riding It Out
• Nicole wants to know, When Will It End?
• Kimberly's optimism is cowing declining with When Will We Be Hit?
• Jill shares her fear about the SV economy in Will The Bubble Burst In Silicon Valley... And Why I Am Scared
• Courtney says goodbye to her beloved Silicon Valley Target store, The End Of A Love Affair.

Deep South Moms Blog

• Lotus shares her frustration in The Dreaded Green Bean vs. Wall Street
• Michelle writes about how The Recession Came Early To Our Home
• Amy shares her experience of HAVING to go back to work in A New Reality

Los Angeles Moms Blog

• Elizabeth questions The Economy:  What is it about October?
• Sarah is going to Now Take A Nice, Calming, Deep Breath
• Jessica is Blogging About the Economy: Round Three
• Florinda ponders the state of finances in What, me worry about the economy?
• Kim pulls out the Financial Book Report
• Nina discusses when being broke is old news

50-Something Moms Blog

• Myrna wants to know:  What did your parents teach you about money?
• Arleen laments in Happy Holidays?  Really?
• Cynthia reminds us all that The "Great Depression" Offers Many Lessons About Families and Sarah Palin, Too.
• Joanne is now dealing with high blood pressure because of Barbarians, Masters & A Den of Thieves

Soon-to-launch-Rocky Mountain Moms Blog

• Marie stays hopeful with Every economic crisis has a silver lining

Soon-to-launch-Philly Moms Blog

• Jo-lynne wants to know, The Economy, So What?

PAST SV MOMS GROUP TOPIC DAY RECAPS INCLUDE:

• Sex, A Dirty Little Recap (May 2008)
• Recap - Education: Public, Private or Home Schools? (April 2008)
• Mom Bloggers Meetup with Katie Couric- Recap (April 2008)
• Recap!  Parenting Guilt: Can We Overcome It? (March 2008)
• Recap! Coping With Illness While Caring For Family (March 2008)
• Recap! Parents At the Polls (February 2008)
• The Opportunity to Educate is a Terrible Thing To Waste - Recap (November 2007)

Topic Day: THE ECONOMY

Unless you have been hiding under a rock, you know that the stock market decline has been to topic of conversation on every news stations, newspaper and blog.  You know that ALL our savings and retirement accounts are losing value.  You know that we are sitting around the dinner table figuring out how we are going to "tighten the belt" and stop spending.  We are scared about the declining value of our homes.  Many of us are having the tough discussion about foreclosure or bankruptcy.  We are in disbelief and trying to figure out how to survive in these uncertain times....

And today, the Mom Bloggers of Silicon Valley Moms Group:  Silicon Valley Moms Blog, Chicago Moms Blog, DC Metro Moms Blog, New York City Moms Blog, New Jersey Moms Blog, Deep South Moms Blog, 50-Something Moms Blog, Los Angeles Moms Blog (and soon-to-launch Philly Moms Blog and Rocky Mountain Moms Blog) will be writing about the ECONOMY and how it is effecting our lives. 

Please join us throughout the day as new posts go up on all our sister-sites! Share your thoughts and experiences in the comment section of each post.  Sink or swim, we are all in this together.....