For next week only, I’m organizing a blog conference on the topic on work and family. After next week, I’m going to return to my old habit of writing random things.
I’ve gotten the ear of a group of academics and writers who are very interested in your views on the topic. Instead of sending them a list of links to my blog and other posts in the blogosphere, I’m going to collect everyone’s views in one place. These scholars and writers have the power to change the direction of research and focus media attention on this topic. Because most of these influential women are a generation older than we are, they want to know about our experiences. Let’s tell them what we think.
This week long blogfest is open to everyone. There will be posts that are directed aimed at women and men, academics and others, singles and parents. I want all perspectives.
Because this is a blog, I’m not going to pretend to be a disinterested moderator. Each post will begin either with a description of my own experiences or with a controversial statement.
Here’s the tentative schedule for the event:
Monday — General Topics Related to Parents and Mothers and Work. What skills has you gained as a parent that will carry over into the world of work? Describe your typical day. Do you feel your work at home is undervalued by society and by the workplace? What obstacles have you faced in holding a job and having a family? What is your childcare situation? In an ideal world, what percentage of time would you spend with your kids and what percentage with work? Is parenthood too hard today?
Tuesday — Parenthood and Academia. What obstacles have you faced as an academic trying to balance family and work? For the singles, are we a big bunch of whiners? What changes could be made?
Wednesday — The Guys. What balance of housework/childcare have you arranged with your spouse? For the women, are the guys doing their share? What problems do stay at home dads face?
Thursday — Feminism and Politics. What’s the big deal about having a career anyway? For younger women, were you disappointed that other women never told you how difficult it would be to have it all? Knowing what you know, what advice would give young people? What political and social changes would you like to see? Is Sweden a good model? Are women their own worst enemy?
Friday — I’m not sure. Something fun, like telling the story of how your kid stuck breakfast cereal up his nose.
Do not answer any of these questions yet. But do give me advice of topics you would like to see covered. If you have a blog, please share this information with your readers. Encourage your friends who normally don’t read blogs to participate. Let’s see how this works out.
Apt. 11d 
I want to play …
Seriously, other topics/subtopics I can think of are ‘blogging as community/supportgroup/workgroup’ and as a sub to ‘The Guys’ whether they are also academics or not. Oh — also, and this is not necessarily a gender thing, but I think it does tie in, something on how our own socio-economic background affects our work and the importance we place upon it. I hope that makes sense — I just think the sense of entitlement to education and the ability to see the academy as valuable, meaningful, tangible work are more prevalent among people whose backgrounds include higher ed, and wonder if the socisl pressures on women from ‘non-traditional’ backgrounds are even more burdensome than those placed upon men from the same backgrounds.
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what a cool idea. in relation to what adm brought up, some focus around our families of origin and work… what’s it like to really leave the familial nest and exist in a totally different world than one’s parents because of educational attainment and work? if we have kids, where are they at in the process?
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Speaking for myself, I’d like to see some space given over to discussion of the way that the academic career timetable tends to discourage people from starting families until they are in their mid-to-late 30s (or older). I’m thinking not only of the way that the timelines for tenure-track and motherhood overlap and conflict, but also the way the instability of the process itself works against people finding, keeping and marrying their partners before children even enter the picture.
Otherwise, I’m not sure where my sort of experiences would fit into your categories; yeah, I’m “single” in that I’m unmarried, but I’m also in a long-term relationship that has been profoundly affected by the academic job hunt, on both our parts.
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Like one of the posters above, I think that it would be interesting to examine how the Internet has changed “being home” — the E-mail support group lists, and now the blogs. How it has eased the isolation of a socially isolated group — stay at home parents. Helped them find communities of people like themselves even when it seems like every family around them physically has two working parents.
How it has allowed people — women especially — to care for their kids and still have their voices heard, still be part of the political conversation even though they aren’t in the workplace and aren’t able to physically “get out there” and attend meetings, or canvass, etc.
In my case, as a writer and journalist, blogging has given me a writing form where I don’t need the extended amount of time it takes to write an article or book. If I have something to say, I can get it “out there” and “published” quickly and efficiently, even if there is a kid screaming in the background for a few minutes.
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How about something a little different for Friday. We tend to fixate on how we are taking care of our children now, and how that intrudes on our working lives and the imaginary life we thought we might someday lead (cocktails before dinner anyone?). But what about the other side of the story: the ways in which the health and care of our parents start to press in on us, on top of all the other child-care and work stuff, making fortysomething life truly insane. Perhaps I am just a bit further down this road than others who post here, but trying to manage my mother’s (and my aunt’s!) health care and living arrangements while still keeping enough time to do math homework with my ten-year old daughter and respond to my son’s health issues (a long story – a book even!), is mind-bending at times. It’s not the sandwich generation, its the vice grip generation….
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Work/Family Blog Conference at Laura’s place
Laura promises that next week will be devoted to a really interesting-looking blog conference on Work/Family issues. She says Here’s the tentative schedule for the event: Monday — General Topics Related to Parents and Mothers and Work. What…
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This is a superb idea! Followed this link from New Kid. I’m bookmarking.
I would encourage you to cater towards men specifically because they may not be as likely to respond on topic, or may not be as vehemently vocal, but will undoubtedly have a very different but just as valuable experience to relate.
Because you mentioned a group of influential women who are a generation ahead of you, and that you (the audience, I assume, including you, the non-disinterested moderator) will tell them what you think, I’d first like to know how old you are. Since you introduced the age variance, it’s only fair that you tell. 😉
I’ve limited my opinions to what I consider possibly fruitful for interactions between non-parents (to be more specific, as opposed to singles) and parents. Stoicism and stories of endurance won’t bridge any gaps with people who already think that they “endure” so much by listening to parents blab on about diaper-changing. Therefore, I think sacrificial stories aren’t for this forum, even though I am sympathetic with Sam and his intent. (See me and my two hellacious boys and stories of premature delivery for evidence. ;))
Offering a little for consideration on the topics:
Tuesdays — It’s not always the singles. It may be a married couple. May need to rephrase.
Wednesdays — how is that balanced with their jobs? Men versus women. Also, I think the – women on how is measuring up – should be a completely different day. Maybe that should usurp Friday’s kid cereal up the nose day. We all know about that.
Thursday – it’s impossible to have it all. But maybe I should keep my opinion til then. Super topic that day.
I hope I can pop in and weigh in!
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Work/Family Blog Conference at 11D
This blog-based conference on Work/Family issues looks interesting: 11D: Work/Family Blog Conference For next week only, I’m organizing a blog conference on the topic on work and family. … This week long blogfest is open to everyone. There will be
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Excellent ideas! I’m really looking fwd to the disscussions next week. I have a guest visiting next week but hopefully she and I can weigh in on Thursday’s disscussion.
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11D to Host Work/Family Blog Confrence Next Week
11D Work/Family Blog Confrence I encourage everyone to participate. It’s not just for couples with children, or women who work. Laura’s blog has attracted the attention of influential scholars and writers who want to hear about our experiences. Here is
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Why are “the singles” only mentioned in terms of academia, and married couples without children aren’t mentioned at all?
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I’m sorry that I won’t be able to participate since I’ll be out of the country and without computer. It’s a great idea and I hope it goes well. I’ll certainly check when I get back and see how it went.
jwb
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Blog Conference
Laura McKenna is experimenting next week with a Work/Family Blog Conference: I’ve gotten the ear of a group of academics and writers who are very interested in your views on the topic. Instead of sending them a list of links
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I think that related to the parenting issues you mentioned, there are economic issues. Such as, what constitutes a livable wage for a family, how people who prioritize their children are economically penalized, and who benefits from a NON-family friendly workplace…
I totally agree with the person who said that the Internet has alleviated social isolation. There are a lot of breastfeeding and attachment parenting advocates to be found online, for instance, altho they can be scarce in one’s own geographical community.
Perhaps the perception of scarcity is because, in “real” life, interaction tends to be more superficial than that found on the Internet. Online, there is a great deal of personal disclosure of historically private family issues.
Text communication is different than face-to-face oral communication. I think weblogging today is a descendent of the letter-writing and journalling of yesteryear….
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Thanks all for your comments.
I actually think it’s important to define family rather broadly. Family doesn’t have to just mean two little kids. It also means spouses and old aunts. Even single people may have an elderly mom to care for. Pro-family work policies can benefit everyone. I might frame questions in terms of parents, but feel free to expand my point to include your situation.
My age? In my thirties. Barely.
I do think that different socio-economic groups have different expectations about work and careers. I’ll try to get to that. If I don’t, please bring it up for me.
I would like Friday to be about the positive aspects of care work. Why it is so worthwhile to make some sacrifices career-wise in order to wipe a child’s butt or visit your mom in the hospital. But I still haven’t decided how to frame my post on that yet.
Let’s see how this all works out. Sometimes on the single issue blogs, good points are buried here and there. So, I think it worthwhile to concentrate on one issue for a short period of time. I hope you all join in the conversation tomorrow.
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Speak!
Thanks to Carrie I heard about a neat Work/Family Blog Conference 11D. I haven’t quite figured out yet how to participate, but man, I could talk forever about this one. Go! Read! Speak!
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Work/Family Blog Conference at 11D
11D is holding a “work/family blog conference” all this week, beginning today. Go visit her blog and scroll down to read the posts and leave comments, or visit this post to view the week’s schedule of topics. Parents especially (but…
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Wow! This is a great idea, Laura. I’ll be back tomorrow…
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Hey! You’re still in the blogosphere! Been meaning to drop you a note to catch up.
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Work and Family Life Blog Conference
Laura at 11D is hosting a blog conference regarding the intersection of work and family life this week. It looks like a lot of people are contributing, and she’s already written a bunch of posts, so it should be thought-provoking …
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Darn, I missed it. I had a pretty heavy 3-week span during which nothing much got done or read (which was, of course, a factor of My Usual Timing)…what a great idea, though!
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Family says officer died from WTC dust
Two men come to rescue of beaten officer (December 31, 2005) — Two men came to the rescue of a New York City police officer being beaten by a man on a subway platform.The two Good Samaritans, whose names have …
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Family: All In The Family
son ARYEMAN clears the controversies about him getting maximum screen space in the film and the unceremonious exit of Koel Mullick. nIs Family Ties of Blood an Amitabh Bachchan-Akshay Kumar film or your launch film? Lets just say that Family is the bes…
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