The results to date of the CEASEFIRE in the "Mommy Wars" Campaign created by the NAMC's MOTHERS Initiative were presented at a media event hosted by the Women's Media Center in NYC on Jan. 31, 2007. Reporters and journalists heard about the groundswell of support for examining the "real" issues behind the work/life concerns of stay-at-home and full time working mothers, issues that also impact fathers and other employees. Download Press Release below.

HELP US KEEP THE MOMENTUM GOING! 5,000 signatures and rising each day! Please sign our MOTHERS petition to ask the media to STOP dividing women and address the real, underlying issues mothers face. Go to www.MothersOughtToHaveEqualRights.org . Each name represents another consumer and family that refuses to discuss these important issues as a "war" between mothers.

The NAMC and its MOTHERS Initiative have been creating special projects for Mother's Day and 2006 was no exception. We declared a Ceasefire in the "Mommy Wars", the expression that many authors, journalists, TV & radio personalities have latched onto in order to sell their magazines and newspapers or to boost ratings for their shows.

The reality is that women are not at war with each other. In most cases the tensions we feel are related to the fact that the choices we are faced with are NOT the choices we might make if there were more options available. Right now we can stay home to raise our children, go to work outside the home, work from home, work full or part-time.

But we are always concerned about the road not taken. If we are at home, how much of a financial sacrifice is it for the family? And is our career being derailed? If we work part-time, are we denied benefits or the chance for advancement? If we work full time, do we have the flexibility we desire to be able to go to our children's soccer games or class plays? What if both mom & dad could work flexible hours that wouldn't require leaving our children with non-related caregivers?

Clearly the choices are limited and not necessarily the choices that we would pick if we had other options. This is what we believe causes the tensions we feel in making these difficult decisions.

So we're asking women (and men) to participate in our Ceasefire on the "Mommy Wars" Campaign to send a message to the media that we are not buying in to the notion that women who've made different decisions are at war with each other. The use of this phrase leaves the impression that the issues are different for different "kinds" of mothers and that is not the case. Plus a working mom may need to stay home at some point and and at-home mom may find she needs to go to work at some point. It's a back-and-forth process for many of us.

The policies and customs that would value and support the work of mothering would benefit ALL mothers. So our goal is to unite mothers, to point out what kinds of changes may be helpful, to encourage moms to work for the changes they feel will be beneficial to them, and to make the case that motherhood should be valued and supported.

We're pleased to be partnering with MomsRising who are hosting the Ceasefire petition. Many thanks to campaign supporters The Motherhood Project, Parents' Action, National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies, Mothers & More, and Business & Professional Women/USA. Stay tuned as we redefine the context of this conversation about what mothers need and want, uniting women to speak out for the changes they know will make a difference in their lives. Our website also includes talking points and sample letters to send to the media when you want to protest their use of this term.

As starters, please visit www.MothersOughtToHaveEqualRights.org and sign the petition to ask the media to STOP dividing women and address the real, underlying issues.