National Mom's Night Out - Get out of the house Girlfriends!

From International Women's Day to National Mom's Night Out - do you get the feeling we need some time to recognize, celebrate and appreciate women and moms?!

Our guest on our NEW podcast is RACHEL HAMMAN. Rachel founded "National Mom's Night Out" - which is coming up on March 20th. In addition, Rachel wrote Mom's Night Out - Even inmates get time off for good behavior! Rachel tells us more ...

About National Mom’s Night Out

Who could use a break? If you are a mom, you probably raised both hands at once. That’s why I’ve founded a new holiday for all of us overworked, underappreciated moms. “National Mom’s Night Out” is the third Thursday in March, and it’s a celebration which encourages moms to leave the little ones and hubby at home for one night. It’s a guilt-free excuse for moms to go have fun with friends and reconnect with who they are besides being a mom. Skeptics (read: “husbands”) might argue, “You already have a holiday… It’s called Mother’s Day.” I would answer them by respectfully pointing out that although we do celebrate being moms on Mother’s Day, we do so as a family. We go out to brunch with our kids or see a movie (probably a cartoon) with our children. This is all well and good, but nowhere on that day do we get to celebrate the other facets of our personality. National Mom’s Night Out lets a mom reclaim a bit of her pre-motherhood identity. It affords us the chance to take off our sweat pants and strap on some sexy heels and go have a good time. (Perhaps trade in our baby bottles for a wine bottle for at least one night.)

Although the third Thursday in March is the “official” date to treat ourselves to a night out without children, I am hoping that moms across the country will carve out time for themselves on a more regular basis. We need to land somewhere near the top of our own “to-do” lists to ensure that our spirits stay recharged. Making time for yourself may seem selfish, but taking care of number one makes it possible for you to take care of the rest of your family more effectively.

So, set the laundry aside and leave money out for your kids to order pizza and come join me for National Mom’s Night Out!

Thanks Rachel for founding National Mom's Night Out and for talking with Girlfriendology on our new Podcast!

*For details visit www.RachelHamman.com

Celebrate International Women's Day!

March 8th: Today is International Women's Day. It is celebrated as an official holiday in Armenia, Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. In these countries, men give flowers, cards and gifts to women - wives, daughters, coworkers, etc.

In the U.S. it appeared to be celebrated in random events in large cities. (Not nearly enough though! It should be a National Holiday!) Thankfully corporate sponsors have participated and supported this event.

As a woman, with a mission to encourage female friendship, it reminds me to reach out to other women. My belief is that if I have a girlfriend in South Africa, I will care more about South Africa. The same if I have a friend in another area of town, suddenly I listen more intently when the media reports a crime or accident in that neighborhood.

Did you celebrate International Women's Day? If so, how? If not, how can we raise awareness and support for this in the future? However you spent your day or your thoughts on this event, remember to be thankful for being a woman, for the women who came before us to bring freedom and rights and for the women we can help - even just by being their friend.