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Yesterday, Friday, March 8, was International Women’s Day. All across the world, not only the achievements of remarkable women are celebrated on International Women’s Day, a celebration that started a few years ago, in 1911, but yesterday also focuses on all the work that still needs to be done to achieve gender parity across the globe.

This year’s theme for International Women’s Day was “Balance For Better” which encapsulates the concept and idea that in a world that’s gender-balanced, everyone will benefit both economically and socially. Now, it is up to all of the world’s people, both women and men, to make this happen.

Statistics show that there are still significant differences in the sorts of inequality that women face all across the world. From domestic burdens, cultural representation, and child marriage, to unequal financial compensation, more difficulties to move up on the corporate ladder, to right out abuse and slavery, women across the globe are faced with unequal treatment and abuse.

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Have you ever sat down and thought about what would be the perfect work schedule for you as a single mom? Probably not, like most of us you probably just want a job that will pay the bills and you’ll juggle and stress and maneuver so that you can manage whatever schedule you’re given.

Take a moment and think about what would be the best schedule for your life. Do you have young children who aren’t in school yet? If you work evening hours maybe a family member could babysit and save you some money on daycare.

If you have school-age children do you want to spend the evenings with them? Maybe your kids go their dad on the weekends and you’d be happy to work while they are gone.

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Back in the fall, before the snow fell, Boy 12, Boy 7 and their 7-year-old cousin hiked up into the hills near our home. (It’s a mountain range, really, not just a hill. But since they weren’t going far, “hill” gives a truer impression.) Their destination was “the tree house,” which is not a tree house at all, but a pair of rope swings—how the spot got its name I’ll never know. Kids are liars, all.

There are two rope swings tied to a large Cottonwood tree. You sit or hang on the stick tied to the end of the rope and then swing out over the steep trail you just hiked to get there. The tree is on a relatively level spot on an otherwise steep hill, so when you swing out, you’re a good 10 meters from the ground at the apex. Boys, being boys, love it. Even I love it, and I get scared on a Ferris wheel. So the rope swing is a true test of my outer limits. This cheap thrill can be yours for the cost of a steep 20-minute hike up the mountain.

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