I realised today that I am encouraging people to check out this site, but that I haven't actually commited to posting anything on it.  So - today's the day.  I think I'll start off my activities by inviting all my friends to join this site.

Three years ago this autumn, my mom called from Bancroft and told me she'd been to see the doctor; she was getting some tests back shortly for some swelling in her abdomen. Nothing to worry about, she said, but there was an edge to her voice and she seemed distracted.

Within three months, both she and my father – who had been living with prostate and bone cancer for a decade – had died.

Yesterday, I took my two year old and seven year old to a kindersymphony at the Queen Elizabeth Playhouse in Vancouver. The music was wonderful, with a brass quartet accompanying two charming vocalists in a celebration of Beethoven for young children. The theatre was packed, with kids, parents and fishy crackers. We were surrounded by parents listening, singing along and in the short 45 minute performance, unwrapping cheese strings, popping open teddy grahams, scooping into yogurt tubs and doling out fishy crackers.

Maybe that's more realistic than "be a better working mom". One thing I've discovered talking with my fellow moms -- working and nonworking alike -- is that we're all plagued by a similar sense of inadequacy. I feel guilty I'm not around more for my kids; a friend who works part-time worries that she's not providing a strong working woman role model for her boys.

Hi everyone,

I’m new at blogging and not all that computer savvy but I found this website and really want to be a part of it. I love reading about the positive changes being made and I hope you find my ‘change’ interesting too.

I met Mara three years ago. I was facilitating a 4 day workshop for people who wanted to learn about Job Search. As usual, on day one, I asked everyone to ‘tell us a little bit about your self.’ I learned that she had arrived in Vancouver two days previous, from Uganda, Africa.

One  of our small supply of trusted babysitters has fallen in love with someone in Nanaimo (hint to fellow parents: DO NOT encourage your babysitter to go visit that ex-boyfriend in another town). So we're back to searching for fresh blood, and wondered whether there might be room for a web app to help. 

Turns out, someone else has already thought this all through. CareSquare is a well thought-out online community that helps parents find available caregivers, and lets you rank trusted caregivers and see those who are trusted by your friends (or their friends). There are a few hundred caregivers already in the network, but surprise surprise they're mostly in the San Francisco area.