mom love

It’s time for another Pop Pedestal, and today I’ve got one for all the parents out there. I don’t know about you, but when I’m in a parenting jam—and granted, my kid’s only two, but even two-year-olds can be total assholes—I like to channel my favorite pop-culture parents for psychic assistance. Clair and Cliff Huxtable, Florida Evans, Red and Kitty Foreman, Peggy Hill: All have the right stuff in place for raising their kids—heart, humor, smarts, respect, and the occasional needfully deployed "dumbass." But in portraying how simultaneously selfish and selfless are the realities of raising a person, Almost Famous’s single mom, Elaine Miller, deserves a place in the pantheon.

Tomorrow is Mother's Day, and though the commercial holiday might have a cheesy reputation filled with schlocky cards, cheap candy, and Build-A-Bears, the true spirit of Mother's Day is nothing if not feminist. After all, what other holiday exists solely to honor the older women in our lives for the sacrifices they've made on our behalf? We can honor not only our own mothers tomorrow (if we're lucky enough to have them around) but also those women who've helped to make us the kickass feminists we see in the mirror today. Did you know that one of the early calls to celebrate Mother's Day was from feminist Julia Ward Howe in her "Mother's Day Proclamation"? It's true!

More mother lovin' after the jump! Complete with music videos! Oh, and don't forget to give your mom a Mother's Day shout out in the comments section!

Another update on my upcoming trip...

Ok, folks – here's my heart on the line: I organized my entire trip around Mother's Day so that I could combine the organization I love plus my mom and grandma, who – as much as they support and love me – really don't "get" what my work is all about.

So please, Twin Cities friends, come – and bring anyone special you want to appreciate – and let's celebrate Mother's Day with gratitude for the amazing people that allowed us to live the lives we have today.

If nothing else, do it for my grandma! She's 91 and she's incredible.