if you would like to offer your own MakeShift life as a source of inspiration for our readers, please copy and answer the questions below in a word document and send as an attachment to

themsrevolution(at)gmail(dot)com.

because nobody has the perfect life balance, there are plenty of opportunities in the questionnaire to come clean about the challenges you face. the mothers of invention section is simply a forum for passing on an organic sort of truth and an appreciation for what matters.

we reserve the right to refuse or edit submissions for length and content. 

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age:

current city:

living situation:

[who lives in your household? include ages of children.]

occupation:

how do you structure your time and space?

[how do you divide your time between your career, home making, parenting, recreation, self-care, et cetera? is your office at home or away? if applicable, what is your childcare situation? we are particularly interested in approaches to the above issues that could be considered innovative and unconventional.]

using the metaphor of seasons to describe the phases of women’s lives…

• what are the particular challenges and highlights of your current season?
•  what season(s) preceded this one?
•  what season(s) might your future hold?

favorite family activity/activities:

favorite solo activity/activities:

source(s) of inspiration:

best MakeShift moment:

[describe a time you got creative in a pinch. maybe you let your one-year-old unravel a toilet paper roll at your feet while you were typing away in your home office. maybe you set up your toddler’s toys in the bathroom so that you can take a bath. maybe you’ve created a babysitting co-op with a neighbor, made a last-minute halloween costume out of aluminum foil, or driven miles to hand-deliver a late college application. do tell!]

do you know of other mothers we might feature who are piecing together a balance of work and family life?

[we are looking for women who are replacing the outdated “you can have it all” model of motherhood in ways that value creativity and ingenuity over perfection. please provide names and email addresses of nominees. we will email them, and they will have the opportunity to participate or decline.]