"Hip Mama" may not be the answer either, but it's certainly a step in the right direction. It describes itself as "a quarterly zine for progressive families." "Families" in this case means teen mothers, single dads, welfare parents, gay and lesbian parents, and other non-traditional families, as well as the much-hyped nuclear family. In the most recent issue (#10), a former stripper explains how pregnancy made her love her body for the first time, and how welfare reform may force her back to the stage; a skeptical mother humorously ponders the virgin birth; and a young couple offers advice on infant allergies from laundry detergents. The content includes fuzzy anecdotes, personal struggles and practical parenting information -- but the articles are always short and entertaining.

Perhaps the best part of "Hip Mama" is the sense of community that runs through the pages. Ariel Gore, "editor/publisher girl," gives her phone number in a few different places. The subscription fee is on a sliding scale: you pay $12 to $20 (whatever you can afford) for four issues. Or: "If you want Hip Mama bad enough to steal it, let us know. We'll probably send you a free copy and save ourselves the bank charges." These features -- along with the articles, the inspiring letters to the editor, and the pictures of subscribers' children -- make it clear that "Hip Mama" is an important "meeting place" for those who feel alienated or annoyed by mainstream parenting dialogue.