In case you are wandering in off the internet, and don't know what's going on in my corner of the world, the Seattle teachers are on strike. Tomorrow we head into day three.

I want the strike to end. Some people love summer with their kids. Endless summer does not sound perfect to me. I actually had a good summer, but it was a lot of work--finding camps, arranging play dates, not having the room to concentrate because someone could constantly interrupt me. Add to that now the not knowing from minute to minute what will happen. School tomorrow or not? The strike is stressing me out.

And yet, I only want the strike to end if the teachers get a good contract. In the interest of full disclosure, I am a total union supporter, have been all my life. So, I'd probably be supporting the teachers no matter what. But I feel particularly strongly because they aren't just negotiating for more money; they want more recess time for the kids, fewer standardized tests, equity in discipline--things I, as a parent, have been advocating for for years. I feel the teachers are standing up for me, and I want to stand with them.

So, I wrote letters, signed petitions, joined groups, and hit the picket lines with the kids. It has been a crash course in civic engagement in our house. I've had to define collective bargaining, union, negotiation, picket line, and scab. I've had to explain why the principal is not on the picket line. We made signs, put on our red shirts and marched around the elementary and middle schools.

I'm not sure what it's going to take to reach an agreement. I'm trying to help.