Dear Kid,

Did you know that Cincinnati is second in the nation in childhood poverty? And that two out of every three kids in poverty in Greater Cincinnati live in single female headed households?

These are just some of the facts I learned Tuesday night from Cincinnati Women’s Fund. (Feel free to check out all the amazingly good work they’re doing.)

I also learned about the Cliff Effect. (Short version: Woman being offered a raise which she can’t accept because it will put her over the threshold for nutrition and childcare assistance. In effect, a raise of say $2,000 a year could cost her $14,000 in assistance. So she can’t accept the raise, which means she won’t be prepared for the next advancement. Rinse and repeat.)

Seven hundred of my best friends and I were at the Women’s Fund annual event “A Conversation with…” and this year’s keynote was Cokie Roberts.

Cokie Roberts (Ms. Roberts to you) is a well-known political commentator for ABC News and NPR. She told great stories about women who made a huge difference in our country and who’ve been more or less ignored by (male) historians. She also talked about some of her political coverage (like the time there was an election for Pope and the journalists had to figure out how to fill air time even though they really knew nothing).

Cokie (still Ms. Roberts to you) is smart, funny, and gracious. And spunky. I want to invite her out for a cup of coffee and listen to her stories for hours.

No, I don’t want to invite everyone out for a cup of coffee. Most of the time I prefer to take the coffee and leave the people out.

It was a great event. The Women’s Fund (as always) did an outstanding job just as they do outstanding work every day.

Love, Mom

Dear Kid,

It’s official. Today is your first day of classes.

You’re officially a college freshman. Dad is (very surprisingly) officially not a basket case. Pi is unofficially an only child. Booker is officially (and unofficially) confused. I am officially Mom of College Kid. Cool.

Today is also the anniversary of the official adoption of the 19^th Amendment into the US Constitution. In case you don’t have a copy handy, I’ll remind you that the 19^th Amendment is the one that guarantees women the right to vote, thereby codifying into the political realm what had been happening in households for eons (women being in charge).

The 19th amendment was adopted in 1920. Let me put that in perspective: less than 100 years ago women were not allowed to vote. Not Allowed. With a capital You Can Just Take Your Pretty Little Ideas Right Back to the Kitchen Where You (and they) Belong. Less. Than. 100. Years.

As with other Major Mistakes in history, the interesting thing is that once women pointed out that they didn’t have the right to vote and they would most assuredly appreciate a quick change in policy or there wasn’t going to be any dinner on the table, not everyone got it. A Whole Lot of People didn’t get it. Giving women the right to vote required fussing and fighting and altering strongly held beliefs (or not in many cases).

The suffragette effort was far less violent than the Civil Rights movement. (I like to think that women—of all colors—are more subtle and sophisticated when it comes to things like changing men’s minds). It also had the advantage that almost all Americans are related in some way to at least one woman. (You had a mother once! [Never!] Then you had an aunt. Extra points for getting the reference. But no penalty points if you don’t know it. I had to call Grandpa to get the details.)

Other important things in history happened on August 26^th. In the first mark of true civilization on our planet, in 580 the Chinese invent toilet paper (for which I am truly grateful). Then in 1929, the first US rollercoaster was built. I leave it to you to decide if and how these events are related. On August 26, 1946 George Orwell published Animal Farm. On August 26, 1952, fluoridation of water begins in San Fransisco. Again, I leave it to you to draw any connections. And then in 1961, the Official International Hockey Hall of Fame opened in Toronto, clearing the way for Auntie M to buy you the T-Shirt that would earn you the nickname Snoopy.

History was officially very busy on August 26^th.

Hope that you have an officially wonderful first day of classes.

Love (Officially), Mom

P.S. If you haven’t officially “Liked” DearKidLoveMom.com on Facebook, now would be a Most Excellent Time to do that.

~~

Gilbert & Sullivan; Patience: Act II

Grosvenor talking with Bunthorne

GROS. But surely you would never do that? [In great alarm]

BUN. I don’t know. It would be an extreme measure, no doubt.
Still–

GROS. [wildly] But you would not do it — I am sure you would
not. [Throwing himself at BUNTHORNE’s knees, and clinging to him]
Oh, reflect, reflect! You had a mother once.

BUN. Never!

GROS. Then you had an aunt! [BUNTHORNE affected.] Ah! I see
you had! By the memory of that aunt, I implore you to pause ere
you resort to this last fearful expedient. Oh, Mr. Bunthorne,
reflect, reflect! [Weeping]