CONTEST DEADLINE: Wednesday, July 9, 2008.

I think politics are for moms. It doesn’t matter that the system is not set up for it and the people in the system aren’t that great about accommodating moms—all those meetings! no childcare! time and money demands!—because at the end of the day the best chance for the future sits in a mom’s lap, probably dripping something on her pants.

However, I’ve heard so many moms say they haven’t got time to research the issues or candidates (total sympathy here), become overwhelmed each time they try to put time to learning more about candidates and issues, or simply don’t consider themselves political.

I think they are missing the things they do on a daily basis that are political. I don’t think some moms give themselves enough credit for what they do. There are more ways to be political than going to candidate fundraisers or hanging out with local political parties—although I suggest doing this at least a few times. It’s amazing what you learn from candidates in person at a house party!

Moms are experts on many important issues, such as education and health care, and I know many women who found themselves caring about these things on a broader level after becoming a mom.

In the new book, The Maternal is Political (edited by Shari MacDonald Strong), women writers share their stories of how motherhood influenced their ideas and feelings about social issues (that are typically political issues). (Click on the keep reading button to learn more about the book and how to enter the contest.)
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The wonderful online and newsletter publication, TodaysMama, is featuring our blog this week!

If you haven’t found TodaysMama before, you might take a minute to go explore it. The founders created it after they had questions about resources for moms in their area, and couldn’t find any answers.

So they created TodaysMama, which:

. . .provides personal, professional and parenting resources designed to foster a greater sense of identity, empowerment and connection for women and mothers everywhere.

The TodaysMama Website (TodaysMama.com) provides exclusive columns, features and tips in its Expand Your Perspective section from established authors and experts. Mamas share aspirations and find inspiration on the site’s Dream Big section, and groove and sway to the music on the site’s MamasMix.

Thank you, TodaysMama, for featuring our blog. Izzy and I appreciate your support of Moms Speak Up. Izzy said, “We appreciate it and thank you for this opportunity to help spread the word so moms everywhere will know how important their voices are to the betterment of our world!”

And congratulations to the wonderful contributors to this site—writers and commenters—who make it such a great place!

More thanks and congratulations to Izzy, for founding this wonderful site.

Julie and Izzy

Julie Pippert is the Editor-in-Chief of Moms Speak Up and Izzy Dean is the marvelous Founder.