Saying that the United States is behind other nations when it comes to benefits for new parents, the Detroit News provided an overview of the difficulties parents face once they have children, and explained what some companies are doing to make their workplaces more hospitable to new parents. more

The Seattle Times ran an article providing advice to moms who, after being at home with their kids, are re-launching their careers. Some of the advice: Say no often, don't feel guilty about not making "chocolate-chip pancakes on school days," and cut back on volunteering. more

It was all over the news this past week. Moms don't get enough sleep. Come as a shock? more

Many states are not inspecting daycare facilities to make sure that laws regarding children's safety are being followed, leaving children's safety at risk, a childcare advocate argued in an Associated Press article. "State child-care standards and oversight in this nation are not protecting our children and are not preparing them for success in school," said Linda Smith, executive director of the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies. more

"Could it be . . . that easing a woman's ability to hold a job and raise children simultaneously will nudge her toward having a bigger family?"  The New York Times asked in an article, "The Motherhood Experiment," about declining birth rates in industrialized nations. more

Journalist Anne Hart recently quit her full-time newspaper job in order to write from home so she can be with her son. She's going to chronicle her transition from working in a newsroom to working from her home in a weekly column. "Money, or lack of it, will become a bigger factor than it already is for my husband and me," Hart wrote. "Staying home and freelancing is sure to bring lots of quibbles about how much I spent on lattes and he spent on lunches. Let the coupon-clipping and ban on eating out begin." more

In honor of Women's History month, a University of Michigan communications professor took aim at the myth of the "perfect mom" during a recent lecture at Northern Illinois University. more

Law.com spotlighted a re-entry program for lawyer moms who, after leaving their law practices to care for their kids, are looking to join the workforce. The article focused on the Hastings College of the Law and Pace University that offer seminars specifically for lawyers who've been out of the practice for a year or more. more

No, this isn't a reference to moms wearing hoodies or boyfriend jeans. It's the Wall Street Journal's name for women who have gaps in their resumes after leaving the paid workforce to care for children. The Journal piece offers advice to at-home moms on how to describe the paid employment gap on their resumes and what to say during job interviews when the women return to the workforce. more

The Washington Post recently featured companies which have policies in place that "persuade highly skilled and experienced female managers to return to work after maternity leave - no matter how many years they may take." Among the companies spotlighted was PricewaterhouseCoopers whose Full Circle program tells women employees they can have up to five years of unpaid leave without health benefits. more