iParenting is so pleased to present The Militant Mama, an exclusive column and interactive forum written by Iris Krasnow, author of Surrendering to Motherhood: Losing Your Mind, Finding Your Soul (Miramax-Hyperion, 1997).

Photo: Iris and Elisa

Think of our audience as a far-flung circle of girlfriends with whom you can vent. We all know it's impossible to surrender to motherhood without the shoulders of women friends to lean on, to cry on, to laugh on, to hug. Think of how often you've been saved and revivified by the warm conversations that happen between mothers on benches at playgrounds, on living room floors during baby groups or late at night on the telephone, when your children are finally asleep. This forum aims to make you feel the same way.

The term "militant" to describe this column comes from this: Militant is defined in the dictionary as "aggressively active in a cause," and for Iris, the passion that unfailingly ignites her soul, the cause that centers her and motivates her like no other, is doing right by her children. We know that many of you share this fire, that there are thousands of Militant Mamas reading this from different backgrounds and different cities, solidly united in the cause of motherhood, bound by our common passion for our offspring. We have the opportunity through this forum to hear each other, to teach each other, to heal each other, to enlarge each other's world views.

We encourage you to write to Iris at militantmama@iparenting.com with your questions and comments about her column and your life as a Militant Mama. If your question is answered it will be posted on the site, so keep checking back each week! To order an autographed hardback copy of her book, click here. For a paperback edition, click here.