What ensnares women today is not that different from what ensnared them when our mothers were young. Instead of being the best wife, however, we’ve moved on to being the best mother. And even if we follow all the rules and recommendations, more rules will come along to show us that we’ve failed (that Fisher Price bike holds an electronic tablet for more ridicule-worthy screen time). We no longer worry about what our husband thinks of our hands, but we sure do worry that our son’s packed lunch won’t measure up to the one we saw on Instagram.
Read moreDebate Over Women and the Draft Will Turn Politics on Head
Since the draft’s inception, women have not been required to register. The legal basis for this largely rested on the fact that women were not eligible for combat positions anyway. All of that changed overnight with the Pentagon’s decision, which of course created an immediate, new legal problem: now women have access to all the same positions that men do, but under current Selective Service laws, they do not face the same requirements or burdens.
Read moreFree-Range Parenting Will Take Guts, Groups
Maybe moms finally have gotten tired of hovering over every art project. Maybe they are sick of the kids being inside. Maybe they’ve finally realized they don’t really want to sit and make small talk with someone else while their children have a playdate. (The best kind of “play dates,” by the way, are the ones where the mom drops off her kid so mine is entertained and I can mop the kitchen floor.)
Read moreWhat My Children Taught Me About Politics
Photo by Andrea Hand Photography. Smiley's son on the shoulders of Maine Representative Mike Michaud.
My husband was on a year-long deployment overseas, and for each week that he was gone, we filled his empty seat at the dinner table with a new stranger. We hosted authors, musicians, school teachers, athletes, artists and even a zookeeper. We also hosted community and government leaders- - from both sides of the aisle.
Read moreThe Changing Dynamics of Military Marriage
Historically, military marriages were a no-brainer. Young men in the service had dependable work and pay at a young age. They were heroic and masculine, and they were naturally bent toward protecting others.This fit well with America’s long held view of women: nurturing, dependent and dedicated to being someone’s supporting cast.
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