I was hoping for a response to this email, but I have not gotten one back. I assume its because if they took the time to respond to everyone who made the same complaint I did, they would have no time to set up for the luncheon.
First see this link, then read my email below.
 Dear National Mother and Father’s Day Council,
Are you kidding me?
Please tell me I missed something in your press release.
“The National Mother’s Day Council will be honoring deserving women for their exemplary parenthood at this year’s 2008 Outstanding Mother Awards luncheon held on Thursday, May 8 at the Pierre Hotel in New York City. These honorees includeDebbie Murtha, Senior VP of Cosmetics, Macy’s Merchandising Group, Caroline Kennedy, Vice Chair, NYC Fund for Public Schools, Vera Wang, CEO and Designer, Vera Wang, Inc. and Elizabeth Edwards, attorney and author.”
These all sound like very nice and important women, but what makes them the 2008 Outstanding Mother? They are famous and/or rich.  Sure, give them some sort of special award for the work they do for society in their important jobs of makeup seller and fashion designer. But don’t try to tell me they are the worlds best mothers because they to these things AND manage their children. I would assume that in their positions of power they also employ nannies. That is less mothering and more outsourcing. The world needs nannies and babysitters, but if you use them to raise your children, then they are not your children any more. I assume that these women you have selected do great things for their kids. right? Then why didn’t you say “Jane Doe, lawyer, Girl Scout Leader and mother to 3 girls.”
Why doesn’t your organization use this luncheon to do something of value for the majority of mothers? How about recognizing a normal non-famous mother. How about finding that frenzied woman in the grocery store at 7pm, dragging 3 whining kids, reading labels to make sure the cereal is peanut-free, trying to stay on budget, trying to be home before bedtime?
Motherhood is hard, and I am not taking that away from these mothers. But for you to say that they are the most deserving mothers, the most outstanding mothers of the year is an insult to the rest of us. Money and power make life easier, we all know that. Don’t insult us.
BeAGoodMom
mother of 3
working hard every day to raise them right
 Am I right? Money and power make it all easier, right? Sure, there are still challenges, but I guarantee you Vera Wang does not sit for hours in front of the Park and Rec catalog trying to coordinate swim class, karate class and the baby’s naptime. I guarantee you Caroline Kennedy does not have to take time off of work to handle dentist appointments and eye glass fittings, or nearly cry when the pretty pink baby dress she spent $29 dollars on gets stuck to the velcro tabs on a bib in the dryer and comes out all snagged.
If I had all the money in the world, I am not sure I would hire anyone to take my kids to swimming lessons anyway. But just knowing that I could would take some of the stress away. I just don’t see how these are the most deserving mothers of 2008. Maybe there are good reasons, but they are not spelled out in this press release, so I don’t know them. Maybe if I attended the luncheon they would have a PowerPoint with all the women’s great motherly accomplishments. I would attend but May 8th is kind of tight for me. I have to work a 9 hour day at my corporate job, wrap presents for a birthday party on Friday, get ready for Giggles’ portrait on the 10th, clean up the house, …….
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Maria said,
May 8, 2008 @ 8:43 am
Quite honestly, while I see your point with the women listed, I think that you just completely devalued the working outside the home mother. I have stayed home with my son (9 months) and worked outside the home (7 months), and I can tell you, that it is not easier, and self-righteous SAHMs infuriate me. I work hard at my daytime job and then go home and work my ass off for my son (including nursing beyond one, going to his daycare/preschool activities, etc). Does my financial status make it possible to do both? Yes. Am I a better mom because of it? Yes. Does having the money make my life easier? Yes and No.
As for the women listed– Rather than jumping to conclusions, why not look in to their lives and what they do. Yes, they might have a nanny, but for many of the wealthiest, the nanny is an extension of the family, and the parents stay very actively involved in the life of the children. Furthermore, using childcare does not reduce the value of the mother.
SAHM and WOHMs are equally valuable and important in society.
lmvogt said,
May 8, 2008 @ 9:02 am
I am out here reading your rant.. ” It ” has been going on for centuries. “It ” has to do with money, celebrity, heritage, culture, personal preference, your extended family, past experiences, and more. Love MOM
beagoodmom said,
May 8, 2008 @ 9:17 am
Maria- I agree with you. My point is that they should recognize the contributions of these women as MOTHERS. Saying they are the VP of Marketting at Macy’s has nothing to do with them being a mother. I work. I rarely talk about it on my blog, but I have an underwriting job with a conservative property and casualty insurance company. My contributions to my employer are significant, but not worth blogging about. Not worth mentioning at a luncheon. Trust me, no one at work cares to hear about how I manage to balance my job and my home…because they all do it too.
I agree that using childcare does not reduce the value of the parents. But overusing it does. Children learn so much by being around other kids and adults. I would send my kids to a babysitter/daycare/preschool for some protion of the week, no matter what. But I also want them with me too. What is “overusing it?”—that varies by family. But choosing to be at society galas and late night business meetings several nights a week while someone else puts your kids to bed is overusing it, in my opinion. But maybe I read the “Nanny Diaries” too closely, maybe that does not really happen in real life.
My point is that the luncheon and award is clearly a marketting ploy, designed to bring in dollars and attention. They should just admit that. It has nothing to do with mothers.
LuncheonOrganizer said,
May 8, 2008 @ 10:54 am
“How about recognizing a normal non-famous mother?”
Because nobody will pay $2500/plate if we recognize a mother who’s not rich and famous!