How is the economic crisis impacting you?

America has the economic crisis seared into it collective consciousness right now. And Moms are impacted greatly--whether it means you have to go back to work to make ends meet, recover from a layoff, or discover your kids' college fund just lost 30% of its value.

I'll be following this issue here on the Mojo Mom blog as events unfold. My question for today is to ask how specifically is the economic crisis is impacting your family, and what information would best help you get through this difficult time? I will be working on creating resources over the next several weeks.

I'd love to hear creative solutions as well. Necessity is the mother of invention for a reason. We are often the ones who have to figure out which knobs to tweak to make it all work for our families.

For example, my friend Perri Kersh came up with an awesome approach to creating a free summer camp program while still working four days a week. Perri is so creative that I'd love to attend her Girl Camp! Read more on Perri's Enough is Enough blog:

GIRL POWER CAMP 2009!
Invite 5 girls to participate (helps if they know each other at least a little so they’re excited to spend a week together). Ask each mom to take all 5 girls for just one day during a week of the summer. Plan fun activities (bookclub, journal writing, a compliments box where the girls can write nice things about each other, pool time, outside play time, craft activities, cooking…whatever you’re in the mood for), and you’re off and running. I am in love with this idea. It’s creative, keeps the girls moving, builds on their self esteem and a sense of community, and it’s FREE!

We’re doing one week of Girl Power camp this summer as an experiment. My daughter is already so excited–it’s like a week of playdates–what’s not to love? Plus, it provides me with 4 work days where I don’t have to arrange or pay for childcare. In this economy, what could be better? And as a super summer bonus, I can channel my inner camp counselor…but just for one day. Almost makes me excited about summer again.

Challenges, opportunities, problems, solutions. I am interested in hearing them all. My podcast co-host Sheryl Grant commented that she's dying to talk about this with friends but it's a sensitive topic to bring up. This is one converstation that might be most satisfying to share online.

"Pushed out" of work by a weak economy?

So The New York Times, the source that brought us the so-called "Opt-Out Revolution," back in 2003, now reports that the "Poor Economy Slams Brakes on Women's Workplace Progress." Here's a quote:

After moving into virtually every occupation, women are being afflicted on a large scale by the same troubles as men: downturns, layoffs, outsourcing, stagnant wages or the discouraging prospect of an outright pay cut. And they are responding as men have, by dropping out or disappearing for a while.

“When we saw women starting to drop out in the early part of this decade, we thought it was the motherhood movement, women staying home to raise their kids,” Heather Boushey, a senior economist at the Joint Economic Committee of Congress, which did the Congressional study, said in an interview. “We did not think it was the economy, but when we looked into it, we realized that it was.”

Now they tell us!

Actually, sociologist Pamela Stone already did. For an in-depth look at mothers & work, be sure to read her book, Opting Out? Why Women Really Quit Careers and Head Home.

If you live in the Triangle, you can hear Dr. Stone speak in person this fall at the annual Carolina Parent Women@Work breakfast. Whether you are currently employed or taking time out of the workforce, this is one talk you'll want to hear. That day you can also attend an optional satellite workshop, On-Ramping: Strategies for Re-entering the Workforce, conducted by our talented local experts Kella Hatcher and Maryanne Perrin of Balancing Professionals.