Activism while Parenting: How DO You Do It?

Yup.  The supplemental session in Salem last month ended even before it was supposed to!  I'll admit that my intentions were great for staying up to speed, participating where it made sense, and generally feeling a part of it all.  But honestly, this whole following politics & speaking up while parenting thing is no easy task.  I feel like I was there the day it started, shoot, I even submitted some testimony to an interim committee in January.  Feeling every-so-slightly on the ball.  Then, it was as if I went to the basement to do the laundry, came back upstairs, and the session had ended.  Just. like. that. 

More than anything, this little experiment in annual sessions left me feeling like it's no wonder we parents can't win, because we just can't get there.  Testify Wednesday morning at 10 AM - in Salem?  Uh, I'm working and have so little leave that I can't use it up testifying in Salem - really.  Write a letter to my representatives  - sure, but at midnight when my energy for it all is at a low point.  So how are we parents supposed to keep up with this stuff?  Be sure we don't miss the golden opportunity to fight the good fight.  Stand on the steps of the legislature to support paid leave?  Be the squeaky wheel.  How do YOU keep up?  Stay involved?  Feel like you're IN there? 

Help me, mamas, because sometimes it seems a whole lot easier to just leave it to the advocacy organizations and hope they've got it right.  After all, those wonderful people are paid to fight the good fight, right?  And that way, I could stick to figuring out what we're having for dinner tomorrow night (my husband would be thrilled), when music class ends, and, oh right, my job!!!  Activism while parenting, mamas, is it really possible???

Comments

[ProtestMama]

I am fan of the email. Genereally, when I feel passionate about something, I can write an eamil. My daughter has heard tell of her mom's emails from the recipients of same.

When she was super-little, I took her with me. She loved the microphone at public testimony things. When she was younger, she could break down the diff between gentrification and forced displacement. I think you just include the kids with it.

But i was and still am all about emails and follow-up phone calls.