Change is afoot for working mothers. It’s happening in the White House, it’s happening in the workplace, and it’s happening online among groups of us who mobilize to share experiences and bring about change. One of the amazing things about social media is its ability to act as a catalyst for major media stories and social change. We read much about “mommybloggers” and their ability to influence companies and consumers. But what about dads online? They’re out there, but they are often, perhaps ironically, ignored by the media and by other social networks of working parents. If we really want family-friendly workplaces to become the norm in this country, it’s time to pay attention to the dad bloggers.

That working moms use the web to air grievances and victories is old news. Moms and dads who blog usually talk about practical matters. Said About.com’s Linda Lowen at a recent online chat  on the issue, “I've heard women express fear over how to handle those last-minute childcare arrangements. The swine flu school closures are a concern, as is placing a sick child. Nothing exists for many of them.”

Unfortunately, the newsmedia loves to cover stories about “mommy wars” among bloggers who either work at home or out of the home (you’ll see the acronym SAHM vs. WAHM). When working dads get coverage, blogger Backpacking Dad notes, what’s typical is the media popularity of the "Economic disaster forces men to be Mr. Mom" storyline. They love the shakeup, the ineptitude that comes with beginning a steep learning curve.”

Like the many mom bloggers out there, dads who blog need to be brought into the conversation about work and life as the full and equal partners we hope they will be. They’re trying to figure it all out too. 59% of fathers in dual-income families reported work-life conflict in 2008, while just 35% did in 1977. 31% of men report equal childcare duties- up from 21% in 1992, according to the Families and Work Institute.

As blogger Erin Vest said, “Moms are expected to be unbalanced and over scheduled.” But we’ve got to think about dad’s role in this, and diving into the world of dad blogging is a good place to start. I know this magazine is called Working Mother, but working moms, and the companies who employ us, can’t forget about dad. Backpacking Dad notes that while not every dad is becoming the primary caregiver, every father is being asked to become a more active parent. Sometimes, moms are a roadblock to change, and we don’t even notice it.  This has particular resonance for those of us who blog about parenting:

“I want you, ladies, to stop writing about how hilariously incompetent your husband was that day when you left him with the kids. I want you to stop writing about how pissed off you were that he couldn’t even make toast for the kids and let you sleep in for an extra half hour on the weekend. Even if it’s true the telling of stories like that, and the seeking out of like-minded women who can shake their heads ruefully with you, is a magnificent obstacle to the increase in Immersed Fathers….It is an obstacle to the creation of a class of men who collaborate with you to change social and economic structures that will result in gender equality and improved work-life balance.”

Now, in truth, I’ve never heard a new dad say when choosing child care options, "I'm deciding whether my job is worth it or not," and I don’t know anyone who’s been “daddy tracked.” But we’ve got to practice what we preach when it comes to figuring out working and life. Moms and dads are in this together. When designing work life programs, companies can’t forget about dad, but most importantly, working moms can’t forget about dad!

Morra Aarons-Mele utilizes social media strategies to help employers, employees and communities connect with women. A graduate of Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, she also consults with leading organizations on how to retain and empower women at work. She is the author of the upcoming “Women and Leadership in the Digital Age,” part of the new Sage Encyclopedia of Women and Leadership. Morra also writes for BlogHer.com, MomsRising, and the Huffington Post. Before running her own business, Morra worked for ten years on online campaigns for politics, advocacy groups, and corporations. Morra lives with her husband and son near Boston.