Just some thoughts I'd like to share with the recent oration by Hilary Rosen and her statement about Ann Romney who "never worked a day in her life." I would venture to say that what Rosen meant was something like: "You come from a wealthy family. That gives you an edge that a lot of women don't have. You can work at doing what you desire to do, come and go as you want. You don't have to punch a time clock because the rent is due, work an eight- to 10-hour minimum wage job, or figure out how to get your sick child to the doctor because you are a one-car family."

Raising children is an important job, but can be a tough and sometimes difficult job. It has to rank right up at the top for those who deserve a medal for perseverance. Women who can stay at home and focus on this task certainly do work. However, not every woman has this opportunity. Many women must not only raise their children but must contribute to their economic support. For some women, they are the only means of support, working without financial assistance from a working partner. Working outside the home and raising children presents many obstacles that stay at home moms don't face.

1) If the child is ill, many day cares will not take the child. The dilemma is, does the mother stay at home and run the risk of losing her job, or try to find someone to take the child? Not an easy task.

2) The woman working outside the home still has household responsibilities, cleaning, cooking, laundry plus finding time to spend with the children.

3) Day care is expensive, plus finding a quality care-giver can be difficult. If the day care provider cannot take the child on a certain day for various reasons, again the mother is faced with the choice of staying home. This could result in lost revenue or trying to find a substitute care giver.

The question is not if a stay at home mom "works," the issue is the additional hurdles moms who work outside home face on a daily basis. Politicians, Democrat or Republican, need to be aware of the economic and voting impact women who work outside the home have on our nation. If you have not experienced this way of life, it can be difficult to understand all the issues. Women need to stand together and unite in supporting all mothers whether they are fortunate enough to be able to stay at home to raise their children or have the responsibility of both raising and financially supporting their children.

I am sure that Romney and others like her have worked many days of their lives, but she is financially fortunate enough to have many on the payroll to aid in the assistance of raising a family that many don't have, which, I believe, Rosen was relating to. This is an election year, hence the slinging is more ferocious than most years in general, but there doesn't need to be a war between mothers. Our children, our families should come first in our hearts. Every good mother (and father), put their children first, but for better or worse, not all situations are the same, only different.

Tim and Linda Miller

Hays