Teachers Unions are passing out thousands of Obama buttons and encouraging their members to wear them in school despite being told not to by the Department of Education. While teachers continue to wear their buttons, unions are fighting back on the grounds of free speech.

"It's not teaching kids to vote for Obama; rather, it's showing them the democratic process in action," says a button-wearing Brooklyn social-studies teacher.

In Virginia, the Teachers Union sent its members an e-mail encouraging them to wear "blue" to show support for Barack Obama. The e-mail reads:

"Let's make Obama Blue Day a day of Action! Barack the vote! There are people out there not yet registered. You teach some of them. Others, including our members, remain on the fence!"

To be clear, the e-mail asks that teachers wear blue shirts, not campaign shirts or any shirt containing candidate names or slogans. In response to criticism from both the state Republican Party and school parents, the president of the VEA said:

"The e-mail did not encourage teachers to talk with students about voting for any specific candidate, although it did suggest that teachers can encourage eligible students to register to vote. There is nothing wrong with encouraging students who are 18 years of age or older to register to vote."

As a parent, I am very concerned about this kind of activism in schools. There is a place for political discussions and even spirited debate in the classroom, but any debating and persuading should be between students, not students and teachers. The job of the teacher is to be an impartial moderator who is sensitive to young and impressionable pupils. Unfortunately,I have seen first hand the intimidation and even ridicule that students have endured at the hands of overtly partisan teachers.

Teachers Unions should not use our publicly funded schools or their position of authority for political activism of any kind. Parents, regardless of political affiliation, should be outraged and vigilant.

For more on Rachel Campos-Duffy visit her website at www.rachelcamposduffy.com.

I'm constantly battling technology demons. On my drive to pick up kids from school, I question if I should return calls and allow my toddler to watch Strawberry Shortcake in the minivan, or should we be singing and practice saying colors in Spanish? And while I am grateful that writing allows me to be home with my kids, I recently cringed when my six year-old complained, "Are you blogging again, Mommy?"

A recent study by AOL's Platform confirms what I was beginning to sense: Today's moms are the most efficient multi-taskers in the history of mothering. In fact the study demonstrated that we pack and astounding 27 hours of work into a 24-hour day! And while it also found that moms use technology primarily for "task oriented" parenting like helping a child with a school project or researching a symptoms before calling the doctor, many of us are beginning to challenge the pros and cons of being such darn efficient parents.

Case in point: parents sending kids off to to college for the first time are debating text messaging. My sister-in-law is grateful for how it enables her to stay connected and close with her out-of-state child. But another friend of mine fears that constant texting between parents and their college-age kids is interfering with this rite of separation, and enabling helicopter parenting. Instead of figuring things out for themselves, too many kids are reflexively texting mom when a problem arises. Yet, I remember what a hassle it was for my parents to coordinate rides and after-school activities with four teenagers. Text messaging would have cut down on the times my sister and I were left waiting for my mom to pick us up because our game or activity ended early and there was no way to reach her because she wasn't home. I feel downright ancient even telling this story!

What I am most grateful for is that technology has removed much of the isolation once associated with at home-motherhood. In interviews I conducted for a book I am writing about the changes in at-home motherhood, feeling cut off from the outside world was the top complaint from previous generations. Today, thanks to internet phone services that have made it virtually free, I can talk to my sister who lives in Uruguay on a daily basis. When it comes to technology, the debate and calls for balance rage on, but I will always marvel that my husband can list off movie titles at the video store from his cell while I look up reviews on the net so we can decide together and avoid disappointment later. Now that is technology working for families!

A 22 year-old San Diego woman is auctioning off her virginity to pay for college expenses. Her intention was to use e-Bay, but the site would not permit the sale. Instead, the co-ed, who goes by the pseudonym Natalie Dylan (for safety reasons), will now move the auction to a brothel in Nevada where her sister works, purportedly to pay off her own college debt.

Natalie majored in Women's Studies and wants to earn a Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy (good luck with that one after this). The future therapist hopes to raise one million dollars to offset her educational expenses.

Not surprisingly, Natalie's mom, a fourth grade teacher, disapproves of her daughter's decision. Natalie, however, insists that, "We live in a capitalistic society. Why shouldn't I be allowed to capitalize on my virginity?"

Clearly, this is a family in crisis. Nonetheless, what I find interesting about the story is Natalie's self-assured attitude and the fact that she claims that this is "empowering."

Lately, when used by young women, the word "empowering" has taken on a decidedly sexual connotation. Things women and girls once found degrading like promiscuity, dressing slutty, pole dancing, and watching porn are now "empowering" activities.

So what happened? When did the definition of empowering morph from independence and achievement to the right to unabashedly participate in the worst habits of the other gender?

Natalie Dylan's decision to auction off her virginity is an exaggerated example of the twisted definition of "empowerment" that is now part of our culture. Youth culture has become so sexualized that purity has become counter-cultural and now pop stars like the Jonas Brothers sport "promise rings" without irony.

Politically, women have had the most empowering year in our nation's history. Now it is up to individual mothers to bring the word "empowerment" back to its healthier and more positive definition.

Maybe it's saying 'no' to that sexy witch costume on Halloween next month. Maybe it's a mother-daughter trip instead of those tickets to Britney Spears' concert. Maybe you'll take her to a museum, a play, a sporting event or a political rally. Perhaps it's a conversation about suffragists or Rosa Parks or Mother Theresa.

Empowerment is a powerful word. Let's keep it that way for the sake of our daughters.

Todd Palin is the untold story of this election. He is a blue-collar snowmobiling fisherman who is secure enough in his masculinity to hold babies and host teas for the former first ladies of Alaska.

During Hillary's campaign, Bill Clinton couldn't help upstaging her and his narcissistic rantings cost her dearly in a razor thin primary. On the other hand, the "First Dude" of the most macho state in our union coolly stands in the background supporting his successful wife without a trace of resentment or envy.

Maybe that's evolution for you. Boomer husbands talk the talk, but Gen X hubbies walk the walk.

I'm an at-home mom of five who writes a weekly column and is also working on a book. There is no way I could do it all without a teammate. As I write this post at my kitchen table, my husband is cleaning the kitchen. As it happens, I'm married to a cute Midwestern lumberjack D.A. who is as comfortable doing the dishes with a baby strapped to his chest in a Bjorn as he is wielding an axe or questioning a witness on the stand. Now that's what I call progress!

Sarah and Todd's relationship is the embodiment of the "partnership" feminists have been calling for for decades. That's why I cannot understand why feminist icons like Gloria Steinem could not put aside their politics on abortion to celebrate, if not this historic nomination, then this exemplary partnership -- a partnership far more liberated than the strange and unrelatable Clinton marriage. I guess for Steinem, if you're pro-life and pro-gun, it just doesn't count.

When it comes to equality and respect between the sexes, the Palins have pushed the ball further in one week than the Clintons have in a decade in the national spotlight. In fact, the tacky and humiliating Monica Lewinski scandal probably set us back.

As for Oprah, well this whole debate could be resolved by simply inviting Todd to the show. Who better to speak about the conditions necessary for female advancement and fulfillment? Come on Oprah, forget Tom Cruise. Put the hunky, helpful husband on your couch!

Regardless of your party affiliation, or how you plan to vote in November, Sarah Palin's speech at the Republican National Convention last night was a HUGE step forward for moms, and her unlikely rise from the PTA is, in my opinion, her strongest credential.

To me, Palin is the mom at the school board meeting who stands up for what is right with a winning combination of intelligence, charm, and authenticity. Last night, she did what previously seemed impossible in American politics -- delivering lethal zingers without evoking the B-word. Both men and women like her. Her opponents fear her in part because they can't help liking her.

She's like no other female politician I have ever seen, both tough and unreservedly feminine and maternal -- affectionately holding her baby after having just delivered one of the most important speeches of this election. In one short week, I believe that Palin has ushered in a new ere of "mom power" leaving the old guard female politicians like Hillary and Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson looking as stiff and dated as their white, male counterparts. Beauty queen, moose-hunter, mom, and politician -- modern moms can relate to the seemingly contradictory aspects of her biography and the complexity of issues she is dealing with as a parent and a politician.

Yes, she made history, but I think she has also made a case for the value of a mother's heart and strength in politics. And she is an inspiration to all moms who are trying to make a difference in their communities. How many of us moms have seen a situation at school, in our town or city that we have wanted to change? Maybe you jumped in, like Palin, and faced down the status quo, but how many more times have we sat back and waited for someone else to do it (we're too busy, right?)? Or, started to take on a problem only to back out when the heat turned up and the criticism turned personal? I've been there and I believe many of you have too.

Palin's appeal to women, and to moms in particular, is that, regardless of party affiliation, she really is just like us, and she is proof that being who we are can deliver very successful results. No whining, no androgynous pantsuits or posturing to look "as tough as a man." Sarah says put on your lipstick and take on the world!

Last month a mom traveling with four kids, including an autistic son and a daughter with cerebral palsy, were detained in Phoenix and not permitted to board their connecting flight to Seattle because her kids were unruly on the previous flight.

However you feel about that incident, a recent study says that 85% of those polled believe that airlines should have a section reserved for adults traveling with children. When I first heard this statistic, I was initially indignant. Our society calls for tolerance of all types of people. What about kids? Should they be segregated like smokers, their cries the equivalent of carcinogenic second-hand smoke? The quality of air travel has declined enough without being forced to sit every flight in the back of the plane next to the smelly bathrooms.

Besides, one of the things I love about air travel is being mixed in with business travelers, teens, and senior citizens. Not being segregated is good for kids. How else will they learn to behave in "mixed" company? It's the same problem I have with dining out. If kids don't do it they'll never know. Ditto for restaurants that limit kid's menu options to fried finger foods that never require them to expand their palate or use a knife. At some point we have to civilize them.

This summer, the Olympics are providing lots of great family entertainment. The opening ceremony's parade of nations inspired my son to plop his globe on the kitchen table for an impromptu geography game. The gymnastics and swimming competition stirred discussions about health, discipline and sportsmanship. But it's the Olympic host country itself that is generating the best conversations.

My kids have always been fascinated by China. Evidence of their love for all things Chinese abounds. My Chinese bathrobes have been absorbed into their play clothes collection; they beg to use chop sticks (even if we're having spaghetti); they can be convinced to eat new vegetables if I proclaim them "Chinese"; they love Mulan; and my four year-old regularly breaks into a foreign language she claims is Chinese. We have high hopes that the Beijing Olympics and accompanying coverage will expand their knowledge of China beyond Kung Fu Panda and Chinese restaurants.

Thanks to years of careful planning on the part of the Chinese government, China put on the most spectacular opening ceremony in recent memory. Viewers were rightfully dazzled by the combination of Chinese artistry and technology. If my kids are any indication, interest in China is at an all-time high.

"Mommy, what's a b job? This is a question that the mother of an eight-year-old grapples with in the new book "So Sexy, So Soon." Needless to say, when I read this, shivers went down my spine. I have an eight-year-old and though I would like to think that I wouldn't get that question for at least another seven years, it's probably an unrealistic expectation given the toxic cultural environment our kids live in.

Even the most vigilant parent cannot avoid the probability that their child will be exposed to terms and images many of us never saw or thought about until we were well into our high school years.

For one, not all parents are vigilant. Your child is bound to interact with those kids at some point. Moreover, things that were once safe, like say, the 5 o'clock news, now commonly reference once taboo subjects like oral sex (thanks a lot, Bill!) or are sponsored by products like Viagra (thanks a lot, Bob Dole!). Frankly, I think every child should have the right to enter adolescence without knowing about erectile dysfunction.

I'm a firm believer that our sexualized culture and the disturbing trend toward an accelerated adolescence are hurting girls (and boys, as my readers have reminded me) and I have blogged extensively about it. Sadly, too many kids are being robbed of their childhood and innocence by this phenomenon.

What's a parent to do? The truth is I don't know what I would have said to that eight year old. But I want to start preparing for that and other questions I know are coming sooner, rather than later. I intend to buy the book, but I also want to use this column to collect as many stories and anecdotes I can from other readers on what they did and said when their child approached them with a difficult question about sex. ParentDish is the perfect forum for this kind of exchange. I also hope readers will share what they wish they had said or done? There is so much we can learn from each other.

We may not be able to stop the cultural trends, but in the very least, we owe it to our children to try to be as informed and prepared as possible to handle their questions. If you have a personal story or comment that you think would help other readers please share it. I am TRULY looking forward to all of your comments.

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With the start of the school year rapidly approaching, many parents are dreading the annual ritual of school clothes shopping. First, they'll spend hours scouring the Internet and newspaper for sales and deals to fit their shrinking budgets. Then they'll load up the kids for a long day of fitting rooms and check out lines -- not to mention negotiations over what is and isn't appropriate attire for school.

I relieved myself of this torture several years ago when my husband and I decided that a school uniform was the easiest and most affordable way for our growing family to deal with hectic mornings, rising costs, and trends in inappropriate fashion -- especially for girls.

At the beginning of August, I size my kids up and call the uniform company to stock up on whatever items they need or have grown out of. On average, we spend about $80 per child and the entire thing is delivered to my front door. With an e-mail order in to Zappos.com for shoes, my school clothes shopping is done!

But what do you do if your school doesn't have a school uniform policy? It's a great question. One I asked myself when I first enrolled my child in a Catholic school that did not require uniforms. My first thought was to initiate an optional uniform program with other like-minded parents. When faced with resistance, I decide that if the school didn't see the benefits, I wouldn't let it stop our family!

Two and a half months have passed since our baby Paloma was born and I've run out of excuses for not working out or pulling myself together before 2PM. I finally looked in the mirror (only because I was cleaning it) and decided that enough is enough - I need to re-enter the land of the living, even if I still feel like a sleep deprived zombie.

My first day on the elliptical machine was hard. Not the workout, but the three hours of procrastination I spent doing every other chore in the house. Wait, there are dust bunnies under the crib. Move bed, vacuum. Equally exhausting was the dread of squeezing my post-baby body into my pre-baby exercise clothes.

With the house in order, laundry sorted and going, and kids miraculously playing peacefully, I once again run out of excuses. No problem, I better check my e-mail. A news story flashes with a picture of my former workout idol, Madonna. What's she up to? Seeing her bulging arm veins and manly triceps, I almost scrap the workout all together. "Look what it's doing to Madonna," I tell myself, "This cannot be good for you."

Then one of those humbling mommy moments snaps me back to the reality of my overstretched abs. "Mommy, are you having another baby?" asks my pig-tailed four year-old. "No, honey,"I try to say sweetly through clenched teeth.

Fine! I'll get on the machine, but first I have to nurse and by the way, isn't nursing supposed to help my stomach come to its pre-baby shape? I guess there's an exclusionary clause for the fifth baby.

Long story short, I did 25 minutes on the elliptical and some abdominal crunches. I felt soooo good afterward! Why did I wait so long??!!

Baby's still asleep. Good! I can shower. Oh, this is what it feels like to be clean before noon. I had forgotten.

Baby's still asleep and the other kids haven't killed each other? I'm going to exfoliate and mask with my new favorite organic skin products (the best post-baby gift I have EVER received) and what the heck, I'll give myself a home pedicure.

Pores clean, skin soft, nails painted, hair washed. I'm back in the land of the living.

To learn more about Rachel, visit her website at www.rachelcamposduffy.com.