Mother’s Day is May 11 in the USA. “Mom” is a universal word around the world. We give moms a day of recognition but little else. Moms do not get paid maternity leave. Moms do not get a stipend to help with child care. Partnered moms with paying jobs still do most domestic chores, like laundry, cooking, and child care. Moms with little kids (and tons of paraphernalia) do not have special spaces in parking lots. Moms do not get paid time off to care for sick children. So what do moms get? Moms get everything else. The current administration is trying to defund PBS and NPR. Put your money where your ears and eyes are: PBS NPR. Only 1349 more days.

Wild Cooking Woman 5/12/25

Some Advice from a Mother to Her Married Son

by Judith Viorst

The answer to do you love me isn’t, I married you, didn’t I?
Or, Can’t we discuss this after the ballgame is through?
It isn’t, Well that all depends on what you mean by ‘love’.
Or even, Come to bed and I’ll prove that I do.
The answer isn’t, How can I talk about love when
the bacon is burned and the house is an absolute mess and
the children are screaming their heads off and
I’m going to miss my bus?
The answer is yes.
The answer is yes.
The answer is yes.

Benefits for moms!

In the U.S.A., more than 80 percent of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable. Yet for many years, the USA has had the highest maternal mortality rate among high-income countries. And that rate continued to rise between 2018 and 2022, with large disparities by state, race, and ethnicity, a new study reports. (more)

What financial support do other countries offer to moms and prospective moms?

Bulgaria: Offers 58.4 weeks of maternity leave, fully paid through social security.
Norway: Provides 49 weeks at full pay or 59 weeks at 80% pay, funded by social security.
United Kingdom: Allows up to 52 weeks of maternity leave, with the first 39 weeks being paid.
Canada: Offers up to 18 months of maternity leave, with 55% pay for 12 months or 33% pay for 18 months.
Sweden: Provides 450 days of paid parental leave, with 75% pay for 360 days and a flat rate for the remaining 90 days.

The United States, on the other hand, does not have a national paid maternity leave policy, leaving many parents to rely on state-level programs or employer benefits. Financial support for moms may include government benefits, resources, and protections (if you can qualify, which is a challenge) such as additional medical coverage, financial and housing assistance, and child care assistance. Some specific programs include Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Pell Grants, Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program, Medicaid, and Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF). Just don’t live in a red state.

Mother to Son By Langston Hughes

Well, son, I’ll tell you:
Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.
It’s had tacks in it,
And splinters,
And boards torn up,
And places with no carpet on the floor—
Bare.
But all the time
I’se been a-climbin’ on,
And reachin’ landin’s,
And turnin’ corners,
And sometimes goin’ in the dark
Where there ain’t been no light.
So boy, don’t you turn back.
Don’t you set down on the steps
’Cause you finds it’s kinder hard.
Don’t you fall now—
For I’se still goin’, honey,
I’se still climbin’,
And life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.

Source: The Collected Works of Langston Hughes (University of Missouri Press (BkMk Press), 2002)

May is AAPI month. Check out the history page for resources. Here are some Asian American Voices in Poetry.

We have a new pope, a Chi-town boy! With N’awlins roots! Dual citizen of Peru! Multi-lingual! See Historical Records Documenting the Pope’s Creole Roots in New Orleans

Thinking about college for yourself or a loved one? These universities aren’t worth the tuition. These elite schools offer the most financial aid. These are the top-ranked colleges/universities, or they used to be, before this administration.

New Nike ad is a love letter to Black girls from A’ja Wilson and Malia Obama

What’s the difference between IEPs and 504 plans? Two federal laws – the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act – prohibit discrimination against students with disabilities.

Claims of white genocide ‘not real’, South African court rules. Despite vowing to crack down on immigration, Trump has said that white South African farmers would be allowed to settle in the US as refugees because of the persecution he said they faced. (more)

Why are so many Southern porch ceilings blue? Read Black in Blues by Imani Perry if you want a lyrical explanation.

May is here! Cinco de Mayo has come and gone, margaritas and mojitos too. We know how to celebrate in Texas. The Met Gala was yesterday. Fancy duds. Today is National Tourism Day. I need to plan another trip. Not Spain, not now. Mother’s Day is this coming Sunday. This is also National Pet Month. Love my fur baby. Where you get your information from is important. 1354 days left. Kintsugi 5/6/25

WCW goes to an exercise class called Chair One Fitness. “What’s that? “I asked. “Check out their videos,” she said. (more)

Looking for less biased news? Check out the following interactive chart and sources:

Do you struggle with anxiety or depression?

Anxiety disorders are real, serious medical conditions, just as real and serious as physical disorders such as heart disease or diabetes. Anxiety disorders are the most pervasive mental disorders in the United States. Depression is a condition in which a person feels discouraged, sad, hopeless, unmotivated, or disinterested in life in general for more than two weeks, and when the feelings interfere with daily activities. (more)

Here are some resources provided by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America to get help:

National Support Organizations:

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