The Motherhood Manifesto

Posted on May 10, 2006

From Amazon.com

Joan Blades (co-founder of Move-On) and Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner argue in their book that that American society hasn’t properly calculated the enormous sacrifices women make to raise children.

The co-founder of MoveOn.org and another author argue that mothers need to fight against the wage gap and lack of professional support for moms in American society.

Check out an excerpt from their book “The Motherhood Manifesto” in The Nation Magazine (below).

The Nation:

In the deep quiet of a still-dark morning, Renee reaches her arm out from under her thick flowered comforter and across the bed to hit the snooze button on her alarm clock. For a few blessed (and pre-planned) minutes she avoids the wakeful classic rock blaring into her bedroom from her alarm. Renee hits the snooze button exactly three times before finally casting off her covers. She does this each morning, and each morning she sleepily thinks the same thing: “It’s too early. I was just at work two seconds ago, and I don’t want to go back already.”

Everything about Renee’s morning is structured for speed and efficiency. At 5:45, with her young son, Wade, and husband, Alan, still sleeping, Renee drags herself out of bed and sleepwalks to the shower. She brushes her teeth while the shower is warming, making sweeping circles on the mirror with her hand so she can see her reflection. Renee’s movements, though she’s thoroughly tired, are crisp, hurried and automatic--she’s repeated the routine daily for several years.

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