Nowhere is it written that a parent’s holiday wish list should only contain other people’s dream gifts. What are you hoping for this Christmas? We asked a few of the parents we’ve met in this space over the past year what one thing belongs on their wish list. Mike Biewenga runs Chicagodads.com, a networking site for local dads. He has a toddler and a newborn at home, so his wish involves, understandably, sleep. I wish that not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The children were nestled all snug in their beds, but who knows what goes through their heads? I read the right story, they sat on my lap. Finally…I could get a long winter’s nap! No such luck, there’s the usual clatter.

I flop out of bed to see what the matter is.”Janet Penley is a parenting coach and author of “MotherStyles: Using Personality Type to Discover Your Parenting Strengths.” Her wish makes us want to stand up and cheer.”I wish that supporting our country’s mothers would be considered as patriotic as supporting our troops. Every day about 35 million mothers dutifully tend to the needs of our next generation, changing diapers, making sandwiches and drying tears. For their efforts, they earn no pay and little recognition. Yet without their service and dedication, our society would scarcely be worth defending. Maybe we should start thinking of mothers as our ‘home-front soldiers.’