I’m a working mom, and a strong supporter of working parents.
So many of our social systems and norms were built on the assumption that mom stays home to handle the home and the kids, while dad goes to work. This has been the exception rather than the rule for more than 50 years, but our social systems and supports haven’t caught up.
This needs to change, but these changes won’t happen if nobody is advocating for them.
Here, you’ll find articles reflecting on life as a working parent. Some are serious – like The Myth of Having it All, and The Truth About Being a Working Mom: A Letter to my Younger Self – while others take a more lighthearted approach.
You’ll find a collection of quotes about being a working mom, to give you a little extra encouragement for those tough days. You’ll learn why I happily embrace the term working mom, and celebrate some of the unexpected benefits of being a working mom.
You’ll find practical advice – on preparing for and returning from maternity leave, fighting working mom guilt, handling child sick days, and squeezing in as much quality time with your kids as possible. You’ll find tips to make daycare life easier, whether you’re starting your child in daycare for the first time, or dealing with tough daycare drop-offs.
Finally, you’ll find tips and tricks to help you make the most of your time. Time management, organization, and effective evening and morning routines are crucial to my survival as a working parent.
Some of my most popular working mom posts include:
Are you a working dad? I’m glad you’re here. Today dads are very much involved in the work/family juggle, and the fact that we only talk about “working moms” minimizes the role that dads play in childrearing. We’ve got a long ways to go, but I think it’s also important to recognize how far we’ve come.
As a busy parent, evenings are chaotic. From the moment you walk in the door, the kids are overtired and hungry, everyone needs something from you at the same time, and you have approximately 18 dirty lunch containers and 12 sheets of paper from school […]
I recently came across a tweet that called for the rejection of the term “working mom”: I’m in full rejection of the term “working mom.” 1. All mothers work. 2. Never heard of a “working dad.” — June Diane Raphael (@MsJuneDiane) November 4, 2018 This […]
Every working mom I know works the equivalent of at least two full-time jobs. Our situations are all different, but no matter the circumstances, there’s no denying that our plates are overflowing. Some days are harder than others. Some days, you need a little extra […]
I remember being dragged along to one of my younger brothers’ hockey practices when I was a teenager. It was a weeknight, and a mom walked in to the rink, clearly having come straight from work. She was dressed in a suit and heels, and […]
Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined how difficult it would be for me to go back to work after maternity leave. I’ve done it three times. Each time, as my return date drew closer, my worry and dread mounted – and I […]
After three kids – and three maternity leaves – I’ve got preparing for maternity leave down to a science. There are certain things that you can do prior to maternity leave to make your leave (and your subsequent return) easier on everyone – your employer, […]
Whether you’re a working parent or a stay-at-home parent, have one child or four, it can be hard to carve out quality time with each of your kids. Our plates are so full with things that we need to do that it can be difficult […]
Being a working mom presents a unique set of challenges. The balance of work, family, relationships, managing a household, and trying to squeeze in a little bit of time for yourself is difficult – to say the least! In my experience, the balance is […]
Today I wanted to get a little more personal, and talk about an issue that I know so many of us struggle with – balance. Whether you’re a working mom, a stay-at-home mom, a work-at-home mom, or some combination of the above, finding the right […]
Transitioning your child into daycare, whether you do it at 12 weeks, 12 months, or 3 years, is hard. I’ve done it twice, and will be doing it with my third child shortly. Even though I’ve been down this path before, it doesn’t make it […]