Motherhood brought me back to Madison.

After finishing my Ph.D. at UW-Madison, I took a job in a sprawling metroplex in Texas. Summer was overcast by level-red pollution. Interstate commutes were long. There was no vestige of a pedestrian day, let alone lifestyle.

The birth of our son, Leif, 14 months ago, forced my spouse and I to examine the kind of life we wanted for our family. We missed the Madison community. And when he was offered a job, we eagerly returned.

Resources for families are abundant here. Leif and I spent the "winter of '08 " going to playgroups held by local churches and schools, free music classes at Rhapsody Arts Center, library storytimes, Overture 's Kids in the Rotunda, the Children 's Museum, and many cafes and coffee shops that welcome your 1-year-old.

Well-organized mothers ' networks, such as Madtown Moms, bring moms and kids together for activities and companionship. As spring warms, we 've discovered Madison 's plethora of city parks, thoughtfully designed for children. We also look forward to joining the nationally-recognized school system.

When we moved to Madison, I joked that Leif, who now will attend a school named after Thoreau, narrowly missed going to "Lockheed Martin Elementary " instead. Of course, there is no such school, and I 'm aware of the controversies surrounding the Madison School District 's practice of naming schools. But Madison 's schools -- even in their names -- reflect the values that are especially meaningful to me as a mother.

Madison is a city with a conscience. In such different settings as education, the arts, local media and everyday conversation, I hear ideas of diversity, equality and justness again and again. Even if we too often fall short of those ideals, they are part of the public dialogue in Madison. That simply isn 't the case everywhere. I want Leif to grow up in this kind of ethos.

Returning to Madison was also part of my effort to make motherhood work in my life. My spouse 's position makes it possible for me to be at home with Leif for now. Before his birth, I imagined myself as the all-American Supermom, able to successfully juggle the needs of my job and those of my child. In reality, I found myself torn between cutting corners in my work or my family to get it all done.

My maternity leave, 12 weeks paid, was generous by current standards. But my baby continued to need most of my time and energy for much longer.

When my leave ended, we faced the emotional and financial hardships that are familiar to many American working families. It was upsetting and expensive to put my son in someone else 's care for most of his waking hours.

On a day that celebrates mothers, we shouldn 't forget the work that still needs to be done. Family life in Madison is special, but the state of motherhood in the United States is pretty pathetic.

Ours is one of the few nations with zero guaranteed paid parental leave or other family support. In contrast, Canada and many European countries provide universal paid leaves that average 10 months, and some include child-care subsidies or stipends.

Imagine what could be possible in our society if women didn 't have to face so many compromises between their careers and their children.

But while there is progress to be made, I 'm glad to be waiting for it in Madison. Though I like them, kid-friendly coffee shops weren 't the reason I came back. I returned to Madison to feel like I am part of a culture that thinks we can and should do things better.

Madison will be Leif 's hometown, and, like other young adults, he will probably leave here at some point. But I hope this community will help me send him into the world with eyes that envision fairness and compassion.

For me, that 's what 's good about motherhood in Madison.

Harris moved to Madison in December with her husband, Eric Salisbury, and their son, Leif, who is 14-months-old. Besides her most important job as Leif 's mom, Andrea works as a freelance writer and independent scholar.