The ladies of WMAG got an early Christmas gift, and the presents just keep on coming!
Reports of our first media mentions have been pouring in. A couple of weeks ago, the McClatchy-Tribune News Service discovered our blog and wrote a glowing review. That review has appeared in the following publications (those with online versions of the article are linked):
- Columbus Dispatch
- Detroit Free Press
- Juneau Empire
- Kansas City Star
- Miami Herald
- Portland Oregonian
- South Florida Sun-Sentinel
- Stars and Stripes
- Sun Herald (South Mississippi)
News service articles tend to get picked up by all kinds of pubs. If you saw it in your paper, please let us know by commenting below!
Here’s a little taste of the review:
With all the talk of mommy wars pitting working mothers against stay-at-home moms, it’s refreshing to find an intelligent discussion of the issues faced by mothers who work.
Thanks, Wendy Zang. We’re thrilled to be deemed “a must-click for any woman who’s juggling work and family.” Let’s hope more media outlets come across Working Moms Against Guilt and help us spread our anti-guilt, pro-mom message. Good Morning America, here we come!
There was also a write-up in the Portland, Oregon newspaper today, The Oregonian. Congratulations!
Steph, thanks for letting us know. I couldn’t find a link to that write-up. Do you know what section of the paper it was in? Could be it’s not online, but if it is, I’d love to find it.
Hi! I can’t seem to find the article listed on the Oregonian website–?perhaps because it was provided to them by the McClatchy-Tribune News Service. The article was in yesterday’s paper, in the Living section, page C3. I think it is the same article you mention on the blog, because it concludes with the same quote: “Ultimately, Working Moms Against Guilt is a must-click for any woman who’s juggling work and family.” I will save the section of the paper for you, and mail it to you if you would like?
Your blog is great–a great idea. I was a full time physician in private practice–but found that there were so many unfair and challenging obstacles as a working medical mom, making it impossible to continue working. I am extremely interested in working mom issues, however, even though I have chosen to stay at home. Issues of taking call when 9 months pregnant or when nursing a newborn, and being able to take appropriate leave are problems that affect female physicians tremendously. Many female physicians only take 4-6 weeks off before returning to work. I took 6 weeks with my first. When my second baby came along, I decided I just couldn’t return to such a stressful situation.
A book on my To Read list is: The Motherhood Manifesto: What America’s Moms Want – and What To Do About It (Paperback)
by Joan Blades, Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner
I will also post this response on your blog.
Steph in Portland
Congrats to you guys! That is AWESOME.. don’t let the fame go to your heads, don’t forget about us little people who still like to post on here!
FABULOUS for you ALL….
Thanks for the kudos, all! We are excited, needless to say.
I think the issues on WMAG are just as relevant to moms who left the full-time out-of-home work gig to care for their families. After all, you probably will go back to work at some point. Or even if you don’t, your daughters will someday. What will that landscape be like? It’s up to each one of us to chip away at cultural norms and policies that encourage guilt. (But it’s also up to us to raise our kids, so …)
Also, thanks for the book suggestion. I’ve been wanting to check it out. Maybe I’ll get some gift cards for Christmas and can stock up my library.
I’m a stay at home dad and read about this site in The Oregonian. Whenever someone finds out I stay at home with our boy they say “oh, good for you” or “you should be patted on the back.” Meanwhile, my wife is villified by her work colleagues for being a working mom. It seems to me that these people (many of whom are women) who give a hard time to working moms are doing nothing more than furthering the stereotypes that it’s the woman who should be the one staying at home. I mean she never gets comments from people like, “wow, you work and you’re a mother, you should really be patted on the back.” Ironically, it’s the other women in her job that make her feel the guiltiest. Come on, let’s step into the 21st century. Times have changed. Both mothers and fathers are equally capable of providing for their kids both financially as well as emotionally.
Woohoo! Merry Christmas! I’m glad to see the media mentions, but even more happy to see the new visitors (like anonymous stay-at-home-dad) who are contributing some great thoughts! Susan, the recognition is all due to your efforts. We contribute, but you had the idea for the blog, and you’ve really nurtured it. The kudos go to you, my friend! I hope you’re enjoying your holiday time with the little one!
The WMAG blog was also published in The Columbus Dispatch, Christmas edition. That’s where I heard about it. Very refreshing! I’m off work this week, spending time with my 8 month old, feeling insanely guilty that I can’t be home with her all the time.
Laura,
Thanks for letting us know about the Dispatch. I couldn’t find it online, unfortunately.
I know what you mean about getting some holiday baby time and feeling the guilt. Today is my first day back at work after six whole wonderful days at home with my 7-month-old. I miss her like crazy! It’s hard.
I hope you’ll keep reading our blog, and send it to all your working mom friends!
Congratulations you guys. That is awesome. You deserve it.
Hello all! I am a working military mom (one-half of a dual-military couple) stationed in Italy and raising a RAMBUNCTIOUS (but bi-lingual!!!) 29 month old!! Your site was mentioned in a PAGE TWO article in the Stars and Stripes here, and so I sat right down to check it out! THANK YOU for showing all of us working moms that we are not monsters and we ALL deal with guilt, wether we stay home or not!!!
–Dori Pelley
Hi Dori,
I’m so happy you discovered us all the way from Italy! Keep reading and tell all your mom friends about WMAG.
I saw the write up in the KC Star, and definitely like what I’ve read. It’s just what I need after repeatedly hearing during the holidays “life wouldn’t be so stressful for you if would just stay at home.” Ugh! Will people ever get it?
I saw this in the Sun Herald (Biloxi/Gulfport/Gulf Coast), Mississippi, today. Thank goodness you are here! I am a working mother of 2 adopted children, ages 4 and 2, also in the miltary.
I read about your blog this morning on the front page of the Tropical Life section of my local paper, The Miami Herald. I have never read or blogged before but this topic is fascinating to me and I intend to explore more and come back often. I choose to work full time and lead a department of 50 great people. My favorite mommy friends are the ones that are most supportive, whether they work full time, part time or stay at home. Having read the Mommy Wars book, I find it sad that women feel the need to be so competitive in the mommy arena – we’re all doing what’s best for us and our families. I hope one day all choices will be “ok.”
Great press gals! It’s wonderful to see guilt getting discussed by more and more blogs.
It seems to be a universal emotion of parenting which needs absolution whenever possible!
Hey there. I tore the address out of the Detroit Paper (conveniently in color and at the bottom of the page). I didn’t see the article but sent the site to my daughter in FL who is returning to work in 4 weeks and grieves every time she must use a formula bottle. I’m trusting you gals to help her through this.
Suz,
We hope we can help your daughter. Going back to work is tough! Tell her to read WMAG and fight the guilt.
Susan
Suz–
If your daughter wants to chat personally about breast feeding and heading back to work, please have her email me!