I am desolate I couldn’t be part of this momversation, but it probably spared the producers a lot of yammering, holding up crates, and gushing. On reflection, a wise choice. It was only when I started receiving books through this blog for review that I for the first time looked at my bookshelves in dismay and thought, “I haven’t read all of these. I’m NEGLECTING SOME OF MY BABIES.”
Maggie Mason wants to know, how have you found time to read again? And she asks the question that is one of the great conversation starters, “What 5 books changed your life?”. Join the Momversation by commentng in text or video and tell us the books that changed your life.
Panelists: Daphne Brogdon - Cool Mom Karen Walrond -Chookooloonks Maggie Mason - Mighty Girl Rebecca Woolf - Girl’s Gone Child
In which I actually say, “buttload of money.”
Guest contributor Kierna Mayo joins our Momversation with Alice Bradley who asks the question, Can giving an allowance be a bad thing?
Last week, Christine Beardsell interviewed Michael Wayne, CEO of digital entertainment company Deca, about his company’s recent partnership with Target and the launch of its online show Momversation.
This is it, people, this is why we’re here. I love all of you out there, keeping it real!
Michael Wayne: Online talent in some ways is the opposite of most film and TV talent. We look for people who are not acting but rather are representing themselves genuinely to an audience. Also, they allow online audiences to have real glimpses into their lives and connect with them directly almost on a daily basis.…
Christine Beardsell: You recently launched Momversation. Can you tell me how that project came to life and how Target got involved?
MW: We officially launched Momversation.com on November 12. We launched a mom-focused property about six months ago called “CoolMom” where Daphne Brogden, who is a talented comedian, TV host, and mother, gives daily humorous insights about motherhood through video and blogging.
CoolMom gave us a great window into the world of mom blogging. We began thinking: why not get a bunch of the more popular mom bloggers together and give them the opportunity to express their opinions and stories with each other through video? We decided it was a great format for us to pursue, and we began developing it.
We approached Target a few months ago with the idea. They liked the idea and the rest is history.
CB: Talk about the community and distribution strategy around Momversation.
MW: Momversation.com, like our other properties, is more than video. One of the more exciting parts of the site is that the online audience can continue the conversation through our Momversation Forums. We distribute the Momversation video content through our participating mom bloggers sites, through blog outreach, and through Yahoo Shine. The conversation continues in all of these places, not just on Momversation.
Now, THERE’S a Monday-morning face if I’ve ever seen one!
We’re delighted to be joined by single mom and blogger Alaina Sheer who wants to know, Can single moms be friends with married moms? Also weighing in is guest contributor Sarah Burns.
Panelists: Giyen Kim - Bacon Is My Enemy Mindy Roberts - The Mommy Blog
Yes, Please do tell.
We recently posted an episode on work-life balance which got a lot of comments from stay at home moms. They see a lot of attention focused on women who need to work outside the home while raising their kids. But, society sometimes raises an eybrow to the woman who stays at home to raise their children. To these women, being a mom is the most noble of professions even though they don’t get a paycheck to do it. One of those women is our Mom Memory Contest Winner, Cynthia Davis who asks the question, Why Isn’t Just Being a Mom Enough?
That depends on what your definition of “is” is.
Emotional Affairs is a hot topic these days. Are you cheating on your spouse if you’re sharing secrets with someone of the opposite sex online? This article on Redbook Online caught our eye. What about catching up with an old boyfriend on Facebook or e-flirting with a co-worker? Daphne Brogdon from Cool Mom wants to know, Is An Emotional Affair Cheating?
Panelists: Daphne Brogdon - Cool Mom Maggie Mason - Mighty Girl Rebecca Woolf - Girl’s Gone Child
Actually, I’m the bad eater.
What kids eat early in life sets their eating habits for years to come. It’s up to parents help them establish a healthy lifestyle or not. Rebecca Woolf wants to know: Are your kids poor eaters? Join the Momversation by commenting in text or video.
Panelists: Alice Bradley - Finslippy Dana Loesch - Mamalogues Giyen Kim - Bacon Is My Enemy Rebecca Woolf - Girl’s Gone Child
For a special Father’s Day episode, all the DADS weigh in! Get ready for some serious hunkage. I’ve only had my arms around one of these guys but I aim to increase that number by this time next year. : )
Are Men Better Fathers Than Society Thinks? A little while back, we had a blast when the some of the Men of Momversation came on to talk about what it was like being married to mom bloggers. Since then, you have been asking us to bring on more men. We thought, what better time than Fathers Day to do it again?
So we asked one of our favorite dad bloggers, Danny Evans from dadgonemad to do a “Dadversation” about how dads balance work and family, and the changing roles in parenting. Joining Danny are Jon Armstrong, Heather’s husband from dooce, Marcus Jennings, Karen’s husband from chookooloonks, and Chris Loesch, Dana’s husband from mamalogues.
For fuck’s sake, let’s all take a breath here. I just came back from The Mama Bee, a site I enjoy and respect and will continue to admire for taking stands. I had to respond, though, if only to keep my own public perception from going down in flames. I left this comment:
The comments about shooting for the middle are not recommendations, they are what we tell ourselves to assuage some of the feeling of having failed to reach the pinnacle. No one would tell their children to be mediocre; but we tell ourselves sometimes that good enough is good enough.
I feel like I’m shouting from underwater: we are more representative than you think!
I am not a privileged, successful mom working from home by choice. I am screwed, basically, and I’m not complaining about “oh my life is so stressful with a spouse and luxury to stay home.” I’m unemployed, single, have three kids, and no child support. I’m in perpetual fear of losing my house. I used to be the ultimate WOHM making the big bucks and supporting my family, stay at home dad and all. Back then I could get insurance. Now I have bills in collections that would make your eyes bleed.
Working 14 hour days, six, seven days a week nearly caused a nervous breakdown. My husband left, I lost my job, had biopsies and lumpectomies, and then REALLY spiraled.
I have not “climbed to some form of “the top” and can now transition to a flexible or work from home arrangement.”
I’m drowning in disaster here. Because I don’t get that published on Momversation doesn’t make it any less true.
Why are women tearing each other down? We should all be grateful for what we have, do the best we can, and support each other. It’s not a contest. And it’s not a picnic. Some women have made it to the upper levels of Maslow’s pyramid, others of us just keep redecorating the basement. But it’s damn hard to put yourself out there only to be torn down and sneered at by the very women we want to reach, from whom we want to learn, with whom we want to thrive.
By the way, Momversation is my only paying gig, and it buys the food I put on the table. Literally. Please think and go easy.
If you would like us to offer suggestions, let us know. I lobbied for a Q&A feature. The conversations are supposed to be prompts for YOU to begin the real conversation. I certainly don’t feel rarified, but since I’ve been around forever I was an easy pick. We are constantly looking for more diversity in every sense, so PLEASE apply and get heard!
Is Your Mom Self Overtaking Your Sexual Self?
Women who’ve become mothers are juggling so many new things in their lives, that they sometimes supress that sexual side of themselves and elevate the mom side. Its not easy to find your groove again, but it certainly is necessary. Daphne Brogdon asks the Momversation gals and you, “Is Your Mom Self Overtaking Your Sexual Self?”
Panelists: Asha Dornfest - Parent Hacks Daphne Brogdon - Cool Mom Giyen Kim - Bacon Is My Enemy Mindy Roberts - The Mommy Blog
Do You Keep a Gun in Your Home?
Do you own a gun? Why or why not? If you do, how do you protect your kids from your firearm? Or do you think owning a gun sends the wrong message to your child? Join the Momversation by taking our poll or speaking out in one of our related forums:
Panelists: Dana Loesch - Mamalogues Karen Walrond -Chookooloonks Maggie Mason - Mighty Girl Rebecca Woolf - Girl’s Gone Child
The momversation.com video before this last one, on stressed out working moms (oxymoron), caused a bit of a comment/posting frenzy. As I followed the thread through the momversation.com site, Twitter, and other blogs, I left comments sprinkled about like little “amens.” So guess what? I’m going to cobble them together in a post and hope it relays a coherent viewpoint on this whole judging-when-no-one-should-be-judging thing because there is no possible way for any mom to really feel the unique pain and joy of any other mom, regardless of work status, workload, workplace, or worklessness. Take that, UrbanDictionary.com.
One good thing that came of it is that I got an idea for a great web site, bought the domain name, and am working on it now. Stay tuned.
In response to Katie D.‘s comment, “I think you all must know that you are all kind-of a big deal hear on the interwebs with us moms who regularly read your blogs and watch you on Momversation. So I would say shooting for the middle has gotten you somewhere above that realm. And I think that is awesome because it proves that we may not be able to do it all, but we can do the things we really love doing quite well… One final thought: I really, really don’t like it when statements are made that give women some cast of credit for being able to “play trucks for four hours straight.” It feels like a statement like that should be followed with an “or whatever it is you do.” Sorry, it’s just a personal pet-peeve of mine and I think it comes from a misunderstanding of what SAHM’s really do.”
Honestly, thank you for the compliment, but I think there are many days when I/we don’t even aim, we just shoot for something and hope it lands. I’d go so far as to say (for myself) that it was a sense of totally doing it wrong and being inadequate as a mom that drove this need to write and let loose, and in the process discover that others felt the same and remove some of the stigma.
Also, no one plays trucks for hours. Kids might play trucks for hours, we might check on them over the hours, but seriously, no. You point out something shiny after a while and move slowly to something else, and stay downwind until you’re needed again.
In response to Sarah at OhanaMama’s comment, “the lovely ladies at momversation seemed waaaaaaay to calm to me to be working moms. Can I please have whatever it is they are taking because I would buy stock!.”
Clonazepam.
And in response to “I also wondered what sort of support group they have? Babysitters, mommy’s helpers, grandparents, are their children in school? Because I have yet to find a support system and am trying to conquer it all, just my hubby and me.”
Oh, and no support group. Just a few days “off” while they go to Dad’s, during which time I do laundry and wash the 648654th dirty baseball uniform of the season. I WISH I had someone else to help. I’d be a nicer person and a saner mom. Never had a mommy’s helper, never hire babysitters because when they are with me, that’s our time, period.
Stressed? Like a German consonant.
The kids are in school, and that helps so much. It feels like it took forever to get that last one through half-day kindergarten and have more than two hours in a row to do anything. Hint: if you have more than one child, you are delaying that time, waiting for each successive child to turn six.
[I understand that for you] Not having family close by is hard, but you can’t put a price on having the only other person on the planet who loves those kids as much as you do right there under the same roof.
In response to Cheryl’s comment on kdiddy.org’s post reply I will admit that this is one of the prickly issues that pushed my buttons, and I have a hard time having discussions about it without getting either accusatory or defensive. But, while I haven’t watched that episode, I saw the listing and caption on Dooce.com, and, to put it as diplomatically as I can, didn’t particularly think that Heather is the best poster child for working parenthood. Not that there’s not work involved in her blog empire, but that she just doesn’t begin from the same point on time management, logistics, control over workflow, etc. that many of us do.
I’m really disappointed to hear that there were no WOHMs (which is the acronym I’ve seen most) represented in the episode.”
@Cheryl, If I could find a job, I’d be a WOHM in an effing second!
One thing that drives me crazy about these conversations is that for purposes of time and editing for continuity, we have never addressed the fact that our being home isn’t necessarily by CHOICE. No job, no money for daycare. No job, plenty of time to get showered and dressed for two hours a week to film an episode. No job, good luck with insurance.
I’ve come to the conclusion that the only way I’ll ever be able to take care of my family is to marry rich, and unfortunately, that’s tacky.
In reply to KDiddy’s remark, “…because I’m a mom, I need to add a “mom” prefix to all nouns? “Well, let’s see, today I needed momceries so I went to the momstore and got mombread and momilk and mombutter.”)
Oh, and having “mom” somewhere in the name helps with searches and site optimization. : ) As I’ve learned from being the first to call her site The Mommy Blog. Who knew it would become a genre?
In response to MissZoot’s comment on kdiddy.org’s post reply to the episode, “Let’s talk more about the “not cleaning” part. I’m so glad that is what gets cut off your list too. I keep things picked up, so I can find things, but clean? NEVER. Bathrooms? Gross. Kitchen? Disgusting. Bedroom? Tornado.”
@Zoot, I have been getting dressed out of the laundry basket for ten years. I don’t think I even open drawers anymore. We should all share photos of our laundry FAILs.
In response to MissZoot’s own post reply to the episode, “There are two different types of working Moms. Those who work AT home and those who work OUTSIDE the home. I believe there is a huge difference in the TYPE of stress that a Mom who works OUTSIDE the home and a Mom who works AT home experiences. And what bugged me about the video? Most of the women on the panel were discussing working Mom stress as Moms who work (sometimes part time) INSIDE THEIR HOME. Shouldn’t at least half of the Working Moms on the panel be Moms who have to squeeze the 40-hour work week between commutes and trips to the daycare? Who can’t take that walk down the hall to throw the laundry in or lay chicken out for dinner and have to figure out ways to get those things done AFTER work?”
Baby, you know this better than 90% of the people who have ever been to my site: I was a better blogger when I worked in an office. I swear I feel like my best work is behind me because that frenzy of commute and care and cleaning and cooking and spousing and not sleeping because I had three kids in four years fueled great writing at an inhuman pace.
Now? I’m so depressed about being a divorced, out-of-work mom that I can’t even drag my ass to the computer to produce like I used to do. Now that I depend on it for what little money I do earn, I should be on it like a mofo, but the dismal state of my personal economy makes me sad, which needs medication, which costs a buttload because I have shit insurance, which is going to run out in a couple months (COBRA), and will be near impossible to replace without a working spouse (or any spouse) because I take medications for depression, which is caused by being out of work and… I’ve just gone cross-eyed.
What is a feminist to you? Can a stay-at-home mom be a feminist? If you’re not a feminist, does that mean you’re anti-woman? Join the Momversation by commenting in one of our related forums:
Panelists: Alice Bradley - Finslippy Dana Loesch - Mamalogues Giyen Kim - Bacon Is My Enemy Karen Walrond -Chookooloonks Mindy Roberts - The Mommy Blog
VERY interesting that I re-read this (Ten years, three kids… still can’t figure them out) just before I viewed the latest Momversation.com video. Notice I wasn’t even asked to be in this one! *cymbals*
Work can stress you. Being a mother can stress you. So, how do you cope with the stress of being a working mom? Does being a working mom stress you out? How do you deal with it? Join the Momversation by commenting a related forum:
Are slumber parties a yea or nay in your household? Do you prefer to throw parties or to have your child travel to another parent’s home? At what age are sleepovers OK? Join the Momversation by commenting in one of our related forums:
Looking for fun slumber party ideas? See our blog post!
Panelists: Asha Dornfest - Parent Hacks Dana Loesch - Mamalogues Giyen Kim - Bacon Is My Enemy Mindy Roberts - The Mommy Blog
Two parents enter; one parent leaves. It’s the battle of the century. It’s the war to end all wars. Who. Will. Change. The. Poopy. Diaper?!
Sound a wee bit familiar? If your family is like most, it’s hard to divide up all of the the chores and childcare duties. A lot of times, each parent feels he or she is doing all of the work. Maggie Mason of Mighty Girl asks the panelists, “Which parent in your family has the better deal?”
I write. A lot. I wrote a book I make t-shirts. I design stuff I collect funny things kids say I review books I like Tenderness and Grace My Latest Videos My Latest Press
Lulu.com: $15.00
Amazon.com: $19.11
My Amazon.com Wish List
There are 46 people reading.
Subscribe to the Feed
- © The MommyBlog.com and Wonderbelly.com
- illustration by TearDrop
- website design by Moxie Design Studios™
The Mommy Blog™, Wonderbelly™, Mommy Confidential™, and PearSoup™ are trademarks of Wonderbelly™. All rights reserved. -
