Lake will have accomplished his first 100 days “in office” on Tuesday. It usually takes me a lot to sign a special-interest petition as I tend to think we already have plenty to focus on. Now that I’m having the special, but not rare, experience of motherhood, the issue of paid time off for prenatal physician visits and maternity leave seems critical and prudent. 

I’m pro-life, pro-family and pro-society. I want to live in a country that supports mothers and their children. It starts with affordable national safe daycare, preschool and before that paid maternity leave. It is humanitarian relief right here at home affecting the mainstream. I advocate for 100 Days. My infant son is three months, 100 days old coming up on Tuesday. I’m just now emerging from a fog and believe I could safely go back to work if our family needed that. We are choosing to make other financial sacrifices so I can continue to take another unpaid three months off work to spend with my beautiful infant son. I feel truly blessed every day, but between student debt, rocketing real estate prices and recovering financially from the recession, we have been greatly challenged in realizing the American Dream. Keeping us on the economic sidelines is hurting our economy. To have two children and to take a total of one year unpaid off work is for example the missing down-payment for our home. And that’s just loss of income. We haven’t addressed the cost of child care yet. 

I believe economists agree that our country needs a healthy middle class. Supporting mothers is supporting families is supporting our country to be great. Considering urging our leaders to take action to transform the foundations of family life to build a stronger society. Thank you. 

change.org/babysfirst100