Politicking The Working Mom Agenda

Happy Birthday, Kathleen Sebelius! Kansas's second female governor turned 58 on Monday. Two amazing accomplishments we all should thank her for.

First, when she was Insurance Commissioner in Kansas, this working mom (she has two grown sons) instituted a policy similar to the Infants in the Workplace program run by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, which allows employees to set up cribs in their offices and bring babies to work until they're six months old. A handful of other employers currently offer similar programs, including the Department of Energy and many credit unions and banks.

Can you imagine how much easier it would be to go back to work if all companies adopted this program? To get ammunition to bring to your human resources department, you can turn to the Work & Family Connection, an information clearinghouse.

Second, in honor of Mother's Day, Governor Sebelius worked with the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) to come up with a dozen intiatives designed to give working parents time to be parents, protect their kids from harm and create opportunities for their children. The suggestions for state governments include ensuring family leave to care for newborns, policies that allow employees to use personal sick leave to care for sick children, mandated background checks for child-care workers, a child-care quality rating system, universal pre-k and quality after-school programs. Yahoo!

Of course, there is politicking involved. John Harwood's Friday, May 12 Wall Street Journal Washington Wire column described the DLC program with the headline "Parties Duel Over Political Outreach to Mothers." But hey, I WANT politicians to duel over what I and the 80 million moms in America need to be good employees and good mothers. You go, girl!

Two additional, more private, accomplishments: Sebelius has been married for 31 years and she's always been a working mom. Although she says she's been lucky to have a strong co-parent in her husband, Gary, she also acknowledges that it's unfortunate that our society doesn't hold men accountable for children's well-being and development in the way it does women. "Women are expected to do it all and make things work, giving their all to their kids and their jobs when they also work outside the home. The pressure is on when you're a mom."

Nice to know a politician who cares about making our country better for parents and kids. Do you know other programs or politicians -- Democratic, Republican or non-partisan -- who are making a difference?

washingtonpost.com Update: Some commenters in today's entry are referring to an Anne Applebaum opinion piece in this morning's Post. Here's the link: Cartoon Warfare Over Motherhood

By Leslie Morgan Steiner |  May 17, 2006; 6:00 AM ET  | Category:  Workplaces , You Go Girl!
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