On the way home from spring break, I sat in the back of a certified “completely full flight” surrounded by my husband and three kids, ages 11 to 16 (my husband is 47, just to be clear).  Behind me sat a cute mom and two super cute, albeit plump, blonde kids with adorable freckles. A boy and a girl.

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When my three kids were younger, I felt like a watching-machine.  It was as if I had three GPS chips that constantly transmitted the coordinates of each kid.  I knew, 24/7, the precise location of each child.  In crib. In babysitter's car seat. In daycare center. At field trip to the zoo - probably in Monkey House.

Watching my kids was a critical component of motherhood.  In order to keep each kid safe -- out of an open pool, sewer, toilet, or kidnapper's hands -- I needed to know where each one was.

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We moms have recently had a darn good run as far as scintillating, empowering, enraging mommy commentary in the media goes, even without the Sheryl Sandberg explosion.

Take this blog you are reading right now, which is going to review an article about a magazine - all about the frustrations of modern day motherhood! Extra bonus: thousands of comments from real live moms that accompany each article, blog and sidebar.

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I suspect I am just as weary of the buzz over Sheryl Sandberg as everyone else with a TV in their kitchen, Internet access at work, or a radio in their car.

During the past two weeks alone, Sandberg has been interviewed by 60 Minutes, The Diane Rehm Show, The Washington Post, National Public Radio and other media outlets too numerous to cite, reaching well over 50 million people. She has been the subject of at least 43 million blogs, articles, Instagram posts and Twitter comments. 

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Now here’s a concept that would have made my '70s mom spit out her martini:  Dads who kvetch about the frustrations and joys of changing diapers, setting up playdates, and the best products to use to clean vomit off a highchair.

What would have amazed her even more:  hundreds of these dads gather annually at daddy conferences. The get-togethers are just as glitzy as marketing-to-moms conventions, with the dads’ events sponsored by mammoth brands such as Honda, Dove, Kraft and Huggies. more

Silicon Valley’s most notorious working mom has ground her high heel in the proverbial diaper again.  Yahoo President and CEO Marissa Mayer tackled the top job when five months pregnant and then (in)famously took only two weeks maternity leave.

Now she has banned her employees from telecommuting. 

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I spent the weekend wallowing in the media blitz that broke on Friday as Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg’s new book, Lean In, hit the headlines, along with her goal of raising the consciousness of working women everywhere.

My first observation: Woo hoo!

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Nearly every day, I thank my lucky stars that I live in this country.

But sometimes, I hate our country.

Twenty years ago, just before my first child was born, Congress enacted the Family Medical Leave Act.  It was our country’s first (and still only) law that explicitly supports employees who need to take care of our loved ones.

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Two American women.  Both victims of relationship violence.  Two horrifying photos.

Four years ago, on the eve of the 2009 Grammys, the world learned that one of our most famous young pop stars, Rihanna, had been viciously beaten by her boyfriend, Chris Brown, in his automobile.

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It is true that I am obsessed with the PBS show, Downton Abbey. Also true that I have read all 1,040 pages of Gone With The Wind at least four times.

But that doesn’t explain why I recently bought two corsets made from cold hard steel and reinforced black nylon.

Twenty years ago, I bought a beautiful black dress.  Handsewn black lace sleeves. Sequined fitted top. Fluffy black polka dot crinoline skirt.  Purchased at the same fancy-schmancy Madison Avenue boutique where I got my white silk wedding gown. more