This morning I went to a mother's day breakfast sponsored by NAMC- the National Association of Mother's Centers. Over coffee and croissants, I heard the statistics that in 2007, women are still earning $ .80 to every $1.00 that a man makes. And over time, the disparity gets more uneven: 10 years out of school, and the percentage is 70% of every dollar!

From the study conducted by The American Association of University Women, " Even after controlling for hours, occupation, parenthood, and other factors known to affect earnings, the research indicates that one-quarter of the pay gap remains unexplained and is likely due to sex discrimination. Over time, the unexplained portion of the pay gap grows."

Women are penalized financially for becoming caretakers and although great strides have been made, apparently there is still work to be done. As taking care of our parents has become more commonplace, and longevity guarantees that our children will be taking care of us longer than we have taken care of them we must do our part to make sure that this caring is not returned with less money, less time and more guilt from the feeling of not living up their expectations on the job or on the home front.

The NAMC is dedicated to helping these mothers cope, and focusing on public policy issues that affect women and families.

I will be attending their work/life conference on November 2 in Woodbury, NY to show my support and I invite you to join me.

In the meantime, Happy Mother's Day.