I’ve already seen the back to school tax-free weekend signs popping up in stores around town. I don’t know about you, but I’m not quite ready to throw in the beach towel quite yet.
With several weeks left to take advantage of these hot sunny days with the kids home, I wanted to share my 3 summer discoveries. {Bonus: the first two were created by working moms.} I hope you find a few new things to try this summer!
Hit the road
Summertime means road trips for a lot of families. We were no exception this year with our 12 hour drive to our new home in Texas. There’s no way we would have survived the trek without two things. First, a portable DVD player stocked with all of the Disney Jr. favorites. Second, this Backseat Butler Car Organizer.
The car organizer from J.L. Childress {you met the co-owners back in June} has a lot going for it. It’s the perfect size with just the right amount of pockets for tucking away books and baby wipes. The main compartment is huge and stores plenty of toys and activities to keep kids busy. The two cup holders are a lifesaver in my SUV where typically neither kid can reach their drinks while strapped into their carseats.
My only con for this road trip essential was that it’s designed to sit on a bench seat. We tried to strap it to the cooler in between the bucket seats, but my son always found a way to take it off every hundred miles!
Take a hike
After spending nearly a week inside our new house in Houston unpacking, my family got stir crazy. Desperate for social interaction with the outside world, we hit up a park nearby where we bumped into several families finishing a walk together. Thanks to Hike it Baby these group family outings are happening everyday all over the world.
It’s no surprise this organization was started by a mom looking to get out of her house with her newborn son. It has grown into an international community, many offering multiple meet ups every single day.
With so many options there’s never an excuse not to get out and enjoy some fresh air. And not only is Hike It Baby a great way to get your family outdoors this summer {and all year long}, but you’ll likely make some new friends and explore some new places along the way!
Go Green, Go Deep
When I found out I was pregnant earlier this summer I had to make some changes. No more changing the kitty litter. No more heavy lifting. And no more chemicals. These last two were especially tough as we attempted to keep our Kansas City home clean for showings and began packing.
Then I came across the Deep Clean Mop from e-cloth. It’s super light and is so flexible it can practically lay flat to reach under low tables and couches. Plus, I can go from my tile kitchen to my wood floors with the same product and all I need is water. Yup, the fibers remove over 99% of all bacteria and dirt your kids and pets track in without using any chemicals.
The best part is that you can have one too! Tell me about something amazing you discovered this summer in the comments and be entered to win a Deep Clean Mop of your own.
Disclosure: this is a sponsored post. I received free products from J.L. Childress and e-cloth in exchange for a review.
Y’all. I’ve been in Texas almost a month and I’ve realized two things. The first, I say y’all now. The second is that I am in a big time rut.
For starters, I’m coming off of one of the most stressful experiences of my life. Buying and selling a home doesn’t always bring out the best in a person. Moving cross country is a total mental, physical and emotional drain. Uprooting toddlers and finding new friends, new things to do and a new school isn’t my idea of a walk in the park. Plus, I’ve had to pull all this off before climbing into bed at 9 p.m. each day because baby Golden is zapping all of my energy for him {or her!} self.
So it’s no secret why I’m in a rut. The boxes are unpacked, the kids are settling into their new school and yet finding a way to climb out of this uninspired, unproductive hole still seems impossible.
If you’re normally quite constructive like me but have found yourself in a rut from time to time, read on!
Cut yourself some slack
As women we tend to be so hard on ourselves. Yet when I give myself a hard time about something, it tends to make me feel way worse. But who hasn’t been in a career or life rut? It happens to the best of us! Over the last few months I’ve chosen to be generous with myself when it comes to how much television I’ve let my kids watch or how little I’ve contributed to this blog. I was doing my best given my situation, all of which was temporary after all.
Start small
You’ll never get out of your rut if you acknowledge you’re in one and decide to to try to climb out. I recommend starting with something small. A big, overwhelming undertaking could send you right back into rut-mode, but taking on a manageable task and finishing it with ease may give you the encouraging boost to move on to the next to-do. Momentum gained!
Find inspiration
If you’re having trouble even getting started, you need to find a bit of inspiration. Maybe it’s going for a walk outside {I always bring my phone on walks because A. music and B. note taking for when those big ideas pop into my head}. Or listening to music. Or visiting an art exhibit. Whatever activity clears your head will help you forget your rut and fill your mind with motivation. If that nature hike doesn’t shake your rut strut, spend some time with your children, husband or best friend. These people we love {who don’t judge us!} tend to remind us of what we’re capable of.
Do your best
If you’re like me, you are used to giving everything 110%. But vying for perfection could leave you drained or disappointed. For climbing out of a rut you need to abandon your usually high standards and find satisfaction in getting the job done. There’s plenty of time to improve when you’re rut-less.
Keep climbing
You did it! You’ve done something. It may not be your best work. It may not even contribute to your goals at all. But it was something. Anything. And now you can – and will – move forward, gradually introducing a renewed focus and quality. You’ve got this, mama!
Have you ever seen a man try to figure out a breast pump?
Neither had I until I came across this video on Facebook as a special Father’s Day shout out to nursing moms last month. It was cute and clever and showed some serious support from a husband to what his wife went through to feed their child.
The video was posted by Moms Pump Here, a service that helps breastfeeding moms locate a clean place to nurse or pump while on the go all from a smartphone. Why didn’t I think of that?!
It turns out this App is just one of the successful businesses co-creator Priya Nembhard has up her nursing bra. I couldn’t wait chat more with this mompreneur extraordinaire.
Self-promo time. What do you do?
I’m a serial entrepreneur who loves talking about topics I’m passionate about. I once applied to be an astronaut with NASA, ran a couple of marathons, broke a state dead lift record when I was 17 and my life goal is to save the planet.
I am the Co-Founder of Moms Pump Here, the Nursing Room Locator App helping moms find, rate and share places to breastfeed and breast pump around the world. I am also the Founder of a non-profit in Miami, The EDGE Charitable Foundation, Co-owner of the digital media company, Blue Box Media and a bunch of side projects that remind me that I’m human.
What is a typical day like for you?
An entrepreneur’s life is a constant hustle…brainstorming 24/7. Thinking about your next move and what you need to accomplish. So work tends to happen most of the day if I am not careful. I do love to start my day with a cup of black coffee and quiet. So if the kids sleep late it’s like a mini vacation every morning.
Where did the inspiration come from for Moms Pump Here?
My business partner, Kim Harrison, and I are both moms of 3. We both breastfed and breast pumped for our children. We have also known each other since college. Kim contacted me one day complaining about the horrible experience she had looking for a place to pump at the Jacob Javits Center in Manhattan while attending a conference. She had to resort to using a dirty bathroom stall. We both thought that no mom should have to go through that. No one would eat in a bathroom, why should we nurse our children or prepare their food in one. So we committed to finding a solution for moms just like us and Moms Pump Here was born!
[tweetthis remove_twitter_handles=”true” remove_hidden_hashtags=”true” remove_hidden_urls=”true”]”No one would eat in a bathroom, why should we nurse our children or prepare their food in one.” #momspumphere[/tweetthis]
Where’s the strangest place you’ve pumped?
My wedding! My husband and I did everything backwards. I had my first 2 children prior to getting married. My daughter was born 2 months before my wedding. So I had to run to the bathroom, which happened to have a small lounge in it, to pump. Plus I had to wear nursing pads under my dress to absorb leakage.
Finish this sentence. Before I had kids, I wish someone had told me…
To not be so serious or to rush. We should have traveled a little bit more before getting married exploring the world, going camping or just being more adventurous. But then again everything happens the way it’s supposed to.
How have your professional goals changed since starting a family of your own?
I prefer to be home and have the flexibility to be with my family. It’s also more important now to leave a legacy for them. Professionally, it’s more about changing the world {for the better} for them and their children.
What’s your best advice for working moms?
Balance will always seem like it’s unattainable, especially if you have more than one child. Be kind to yourself. We are living on a tiny blue ball rotating around a massive sun among millions of stars in a galaxy among trillions of galaxies in a multi-verse. At the end of the day we are all just stardust.
[tweetthis remove_hidden_hashtags=”true” remove_hidden_urls=”true”]”Balance will always seem like it’s unattainable…be kind to yourself.” @MomsPumpHere [/tweetthis]
What’s the one accomplishment you’re most proud of?
My children are easy first place winners. But professionally there is so much. One major milestone is coming up for me next year. My Foundation, the EDGE, will celebrate its 10 yr anniversary. I put my blood, sweat and tears into building the organization and helping so many children. This past January I stepped down from my Vice President position after serving in the role for 8 years, to become Board Emeritus. And to bring it full circle my children grew up in the EDGE. It’s a part of who they are forever.
I’m on a quest to having it all. Do you think you have it all?
Having it all for me means my children are happy and loved. There is no point in changing the world for the better if they’re not. Physically it also means sitting on my boat, under a beautiful night sky with my telescope, with calm in my heart and a glass of wine in my hand. Of course, with my kids and husband. No wine for the kids.
Want to be interviewed for #workingmomwednesday? Contact me to find out how.
A few months ago I was casually perusing Facebook and came across a link to a new startup company for women called Werk. The first thing I read on their website nearly knocked my socks off:
Work is not working for women. Exhaustion is not a status symbol. We can’t do it all or have it all in an environment that isn’t designed for our success. We founded this company because women want ambitious careers without compromising their outside obligations. We founded this company because businesses want access to the best, most motivated talent without spending a fortune. We can turn work into Werk. Join the movement.
I immediate hopped over to gmail and emailed the co-founders, Anna Auerbach and Annie Dean. I was their new No. 1 fan and I wanted them to know it. I’ve felt passionate about being a working mom ever since my daughter was born, but have always known something about the daily hustle we endure just isn’t right. It isn’t working.
Today’s Working Mom Wednesday is possibly my favorite to date, because I so admire Anna and Annie for recognizing the need for change in the workplace and doing something about it to empower working women. I am thrilled our paths crossed and encourage you to learn more about what these amazing working moms are doing!
Self-promo time. What is Werk?
Anna: We believe there’s more to work than the number of hours you spend hunched over a computer at the office, and we’re on a mission to redefine what success, career and achievement mean for women. Werk is a marketplace of flexible job opportunities. We feature flexible, senior level positions created in partnership with the best companies in the country and offer them exclusively to our community of 2000+ exceptionally talented women. We help companies better engage and retain a massively underutilized talent sector, and ultimately, we help more women rise to leadership.
You both had careers that ultimately led you to creating this business. What’s your background?
Annie: I spent six years in big law where I did billions of dollars in deal volume representing institutional lenders in transactions secured by real estate. Law was never the perfect fit for me because I wasn’t able to be creative or imaginative or solve big-picture problems that inspire me. But my legal background gave me the skill set to dive deeply into a problem. I find it so satisfying to understand all the sides of an argument and piece it together into the best possible solution.
Anna:My career has been driven by solving problems and making a difference. I worked at McKinsey & Co after undergrad – I loved the problem solving, but wanted a greater focus on social impact. After attending Harvard Business School, I solidified my love of business thinking in the context of social impact. I worked at The Bridgespan Group leading projects for major nonprofits and philanthropists, and then was the COO of a boutique philanthropy firm before launching this company with Annie.
What’s the biggest challenge working moms face?
Annie: Mindset. We need companies to rethink value, and how to create value. The workplace we know today was designed in the 1950’s when one parent was at home with the children. That isn’t the case any more. Not only do many women want full-time careers, but the economy necessitates dual-income households. There are so many other ways to create and demonstrate value than the number of hours that we sit at a desk. As working moms, we know that. But we need our companies and our leaders to learn that.
[tweetthis remove_twitter_handles=”true” remove_hidden_hashtags=”true” remove_hidden_urls=”true”]”There are so many other ways to demonstrate value than the number of hours that we sit at a desk.” @say_werk[/tweetthis]
Tell me about an obstacle you had to overcome to launch Werk?
Annie: Founding and launching a startup is a huge leap of faith. We both left big jobs to start Werk, in favor of an uncertain future. That’s unsettling at any stage, but particularly when you’re mothering small children. It’s scary sometimes, but I think about advice from my husband who’s a competitive long-distance runner. He taught me to keep my eyes on the road. “Don’t look up, because the distance to the finish line is discouraging. Just look a few feet in front of you and keep moving forward.” You have to believe you’re on the right road, in the right race, and you have to have the discipline and the drive to keep running.
What is a typical day like for you?
Anna: There is no typical day! The only thing we can be sure of is that it will be messy, and involve coffee, diapers, and e-mail.
Annie: You know, we started this company 100% virtually. Anna was out West and I was in New York. We believe so deeply in the concept of redefining the rules work, we used it to build the foundation of our company. In fact, this summer is the first time we’re in the same place together. Six months ago, we barely knew each other and rarely connected in person. Today, we’re living with all our kids under one roof in a rented beach house that’s one part bad-ass business accelerator, one part insane summer daycare. Nothing is typical. No day is without a surprise or sidetrack, but we love it and wouldn’t have it any other way.
How have your professional goals changed since starting families of your own?
Anna: We have always been ambitious and driven. Having families didn’t change the size of our goals, but becoming mothers taught us how to be our most mature, most effective selves. Motherhood puts your professional goals in closer reach and will inspire you like nothing else, if you let it.
What’s your best advice for working moms?
Annie: Be gentle on yourself. Be ruthless about what matters. And have faith. This generation of women has so much to give. It is brimming with energy and talent. We will leave this world better than we started.
[tweetthis remove_twitter_handles=”true” remove_hidden_hashtags=”true” remove_hidden_urls=”true”]”This generation of women has so much to give. We WILL leave this world better than we started.” @say_werk[/tweetthis]
Finish this sentence. We definitely couldn’t survive each day without…
Each other.
They say it takes a village. Who helps you with your kiddos?
Annie: Loving nannies, babysitters, grandmothers, godparents, teachers and friends. It’s a lot to be thankful for…and to coordinate!
I’m on a quest to having it all. Do you think you have it all?
Annie: For us, having it all means possessing the freedom to follow our dreams without abandoning our deep desire to be core members of our communities. We won’t have it all until we can live our lives as our whole selves, with enough space to work hard and love with commitment. We’re not there yet, but Werk gets us closer.
Want to be interviewed for #workingmomwednesday? Contact me to find out how.
It’s been quite a while since I’ve been able to sit down and write something of my own. I’ve had a couple of fantastic Working Mom Wednesday interviews over the last month (like this one and that one), but with so much going on lately it’s been hard to find an inspirational moment.
First, there’s the move to Texas. Between getting our house ready to sell and finding a place to live in Houston {and everything that goes along with getting us from point A to point B}, it’s a wonder my head hasn’t spun off. And on top of it all, my husband had to leave to start his job five weeks ago so I’ve been surviving as a single parent for a month {hats off to my single mamas; I don’t know how you do it!}.
But if I’m honest, all of the stress that comes with packing and moving isn’t what’s kept me away from writing.
The truth is, I haven’t been feeling like myself lately.
And that’s because I’m pregnant!
If you knew me during my last three pregnancies, you know that my body absolutely despises growing another human being {think Kate Middleton, without the press coverage}.
Well, this pregnancy has been no different and two weeks ago I landed myself in the Emergency Room due to dehydration from excessive vomiting. {Thank you to my parents for stepping in to watch the kids and sit with me at the hospital!}
It’s hardly been ideal timing with the move, but after the loss of our last baby I’m finding it much easier to be grateful for the cards we’ve been dealt during this time of transition. Plus, maybe we’re getting all of the craziness for the year out of the way all at once, right?!
As I write this, I’m 10 weeks pregnant. Most smells makes me gag and I can smell literally everything. Changing Henry’s diapers is the worst. Mornings are horrible, but evenings are pretty brutal too. As long as I stay on top of my anti-nausea medication and keep food {whatever I can handle} in my belly, the days are tolerable at best. I go to bed with my toddlers at 7:30 p.m. and I’m secretly hoping this January due-date baby makes a New Year’s Eve appearance, because, insurance.
Why am I telling you this? Why would I announce my pregnancy in the first trimester, before I’ve so much as heard a heart beat?
Because I sort of suck right now
I want you to know that I’m pregnant, because I don’t feel very good. This means I may not have the energy to be super friendly all the time – or any of the time. I probably don’t want to schedule a playdate, I definitely don’t want to go to a restaurant and I may not even get back to you in my usually prompt manner. My moodiness will pass when the morning sickness subsides, but until then I just want you to know it’s me, not you.
Because I need you right now
There’s a really good chance that once you find out I’m pregnant {and moving with two small children and no husband} that you’ll offer to help me. And there’s a 100% chance that I will take you up on your offer. I’m exhausted and completely drained of any sense of pride. I literally couldn’t have survived the last few weeks without the help of some amazing neighbors, my best friends and my parents. I promise to return the favor some day.
Because I may really need you
Only time will tell where this pregnancy will lead us. It may be another boy to bunk up with big brother Henry some day. It may be another outgoing girl to give Daphne {and mom} a run for her money. Or, heaven forbid, we may not be so lucky. If a miscarriage were to happen to us again, I would definitely need the emotional support of my family and friends to get us through another loss. If I know now I would want to share such a low point with you, why wouldn’t I want to also share the excitement of finding out we’re pregnant, too?
Because I’m excited
If you’ve ever struggled with fertility {or even if you haven’t} you know that for most of us baby-making isn’t as easy as they make it look on Teen Mom. I’m thrilled to add another Golden nugget to the family roster and I can’t wait to share my excitement with others! One thing is true for all moms-to-be, you need to do whatever makes you comfortable. If it gives you peace of mind to wait until you’re out of your first trimester to share the news, by all means wait. Everyone you love will be overjoyed no matter when you make the announcement.
If you’re like me and wear your emotions on your sleeves, do you follow the norm and postpone the baby news or are you quick to announce the stork is coming?
One of the reasons I truly enjoy social media is that it allows me to keep up with the people I’ve met throughout my life and what they’re going out and accomplishing in the world.
A standout is one of my sorority sisters, Sarah Gray, who along with her sister Kate Doti co-owns J.L. Childress Co. Started by their mom Jan Childress 30 years ago, these working moms are designing, manufacturing and selling on-the-go accessories in the juvenile market both in the US and internationally. Plus, they’re unveiling a new sub-brand jay elle this August {pumping moms stay tuned!}.
If you’ve got a kid in a car seat and have lost count of diaper changes, you’ll want to keep reading to find out how these sisters are making parenting a breeze for busy mamas like us.
Self-promo time. Tell me what you do.
Sarah: Kate and I are the co-owners of J.L Childress Co. We’re a “small but mighty” company so we all wear many hats. I split my time overseeing the financials & accounting of the company with managing sales to key accounts such as buybuyBaby and Babies ‘R Us and leading our product development initiatives.
Kate: I am responsible for all of our operations & logistics including our full supply chain, as well as managing sales to key accounts such as Amazon.com and our International Sales relationships and finding time for some marketing & PR in my spare time 🙂
[tweetthis remove_hidden_hashtags=”true” remove_hidden_urls=”true”]Q&A with the founders of @j.l.childress #workingmomwednesday #jlchildress #onthegowithJLC[/tweetthis]
Did you always plan to go into the family business?
Kate: It wasn’t always an obvious choice for me, but in 2007, when my parents approached me and told me that they were considering selling the business, I knew in my heart that when I was ready to have kids, working for the family business could provide flexibility and enable me to create work/life balance according to my own terms. Family dynamics within a business are always challenging {especially in our small little offices}, but working with my sister is an amazing journey. We have this successful company with 30 years of history that we get to grow and experiment with. It’s like raising a kid with your sister… not always easy, but so fun!
Sarah: I planned to NOT go into the family business…obviously I had no foresight when I was younger. Things changed when I got married and saw the potential path of my previous career; it was a successful path, but just not the one I really wanted as I began to envision my life as a wife and mother. Kate and I actually semi-worked together in our careers prior to JLC, so I knew that we were a good blend of alike and different, and that we would complement each other well. Working with your sister {or any family member} can be a challenge at times because your “professional filters” can easily be forgotten, but the pros far outweigh the cons. I get to create something amazing with my best friend and share in our successes together…it’s pretty special. Thanks Mom 😉
How have your goals changed since starting families of your own?
Sarah: I actually think my goals have stayed the same, it’s just become more challenging how to achieve them. Pre-baby, I could stay late at the office, travel whenever and wherever, and really dedicate as much time to work as I wanted. Post-baby, the plan is, “how can I squeeze as much as possible into my shorter work day so I can still accomplish my goals?” That’s pretty challenging and I definitely have NOT figured it out yet. Will take any and all advice!
Kate: I agree with Sarah in that my career goals and goals for J.L. Childress have stayed the same, it’s more the timeframe for achieving them that has changed. There are only so many hours in the day and with my kids being so little right now, my #1 goal is to spend as much quality time with them as I can, while still giving my job 100%.
Sarah and her husband love on their sweet baby boy
So what’s your must have baby item?
Sarah: I have a couple {sorry!}. My J.L. Childress Diaper Bag Organizer is so ridiculously handy & helpful {they’ll be available in June at buybuyBaby stores!}. I’ve been using prototypes for over a year and could not live without it. My son is only 19 months so I’ll say this one without any guilt…Wubbanubs J and multiple.
Kate: White noise machines {if I close my eyes and listen right now, I’m on a beach, waves crashing at my feet…}.
Where did the idea for jay elle come from?
Sarah: Working + breastfeeding = pumping at work…and I don’t think I’ve found ANYONE who likes to pump, especially at work. When I was pumping for my son, I was pumping 4 times at work and waking up in the middle of the night to pump enough milk for the next day. It was a challenging experience all around and I kept thinking working & pumping mamas need help! They’re trying to give their kids valuable breastmilk and struggling to fit this new “pump routine” into their “work routine.” I thought…what could we possibly do to help these moms? From there, we spent lots of time talking to all sorts of working & pumping moms to figure out what they needed to help them through this experience. This ended up being community, organization, discretion and encouragement. We used these four pillars to develop jay elle and our first product, a Breast Pump Bag Kit, will launch this August. jay elle is a play on J.L. Childress, and the company’s logo is written in our Mom’s handwriting. Life always comes full circle!
Kate: We love that we can continue our mom’s legacy with jay elle. She started J.L. Childress with a bag for mom’s pumping at work and now 30 years later, we’re doing the same thing for a new generation of pumping moms!
What’s the best part of owning a business?
Kate:Continuing a family legacy and watching our ideas and hard work make it onto store shelves for other parents to enjoy.
Sarah: Flexibility! It’s the reason I am at J.L. Childress. If my son is really sick I can go home and be with him, or if he has a school event {some day} I’ll always be there. It of course means I’ll be finishing my work that evening when he’s sleeping, but at least I can be there for anything and everything.
What is a typical day like for you?
Kate: I’m still nursing my 13 month old, so she ends up in bed with my husband and me around 4 a.m. for a very-early-morning feeding. Cuddling with her in bed is my absolute favorite time of day right now and I’m cherishing every minute as I know it won’t last forever. Mornings after that are a total frenzy. I bring my 3-year-old to preschool and make it into the office by 9 a.m. I try to get home before 5 p.m. to squeeze in as much playtime as possible before the dinner/bath/bedtime routine takes over. By 8 p.m., I’m on the couch with my laptop, a glass of wine or a popsicle….or any combination of the three.
Sarah: I wake up to Danny making noises in his crib around 6:45/7 a.m. and then play and get him breakfast, attempt to get ready for work but usually playing with him wins. Nanny arrives at 8 a.m, rush to get ready in 30 minutes, head to office by way of local coffee shop, checking emails on the way in, and finally in office by 9 a.m. Work…work…work…mainly emails, meetings, phone calls, etc. 5 minutes for lunch at my desk {who has time to eat?!} and more work…work…work. 4:45 p.m rush to get out of the office so I’m home by 5 p.m. to relieve the Nanny and then play time {usually outside in the backyard}! Attempt to make a healthy dinner around 6 p.m. if there’s food in the house {or go to the grocery store with a toddler..eek!}. More family play time when Daddy gets home, then bath at 7 p.m., stories then bedtime at 7:30 p.m. Sleeping baby = pour myself a glass of wine and catch up on my favorite shows {or work!}. I go to sleep around 10 p.m.…wake up the next day…and repeat!
Kate Doti smiles with her family of four
Finish this sentence. If I could go back and do it all again, I wish someone would have told me that…
Kate: …you should start looking for childcare early. I also wish that someone could have given me tips on questions to ask. Many of my friends come to me now for advice on childcare and I tell them to 1) trust your gut, 2) if it’s not working, change now – don’t wait and 3) remember that they work for YOU and should be making YOUR life easier.
Sarah: …you won’t know how you feel about working after baby until AFTER BABY. A lot of women make plans to return to work or not return to work before they have a baby, and I think actually having a baby can really change your mind and change your priorities. Just give yourself the space to really decide what will work best for YOU and your family. And any decision you make is the right one.
[tweetthis remove_hidden_hashtags=”true” remove_hidden_urls=”true”]”Any decision you make is the right one.” #workingmomwednesday #jlchildress[/tweetthis]
What’s the hardest part about being a working mom?
Sarah: Finding time for myself. When I’m at work, my work has my full attention. When I’m at home, my son and my husband have my full attention. I don’t get my full attention very much, and it’s been really challenging for me to give myself permission to do things for ME and take time for ME…and even when I do give myself permission, I rarely take action. Still working on it 🙂
Kate: Missing out on so much of my kids’ days.
I’m on a quest to having it all. Do you think you have it all?
Sarah: My Mother-in-Law says you can have it all, just not all at the same time. And I agree that “it all” is very different for everyone. I think after having a baby the importance of living in the moment really hit me. All I know is that we have TODAY…I don’t know what tomorrow will bring and I can’t change what happened yesterday. For me, any idea of “having it all” is really just living every individual day to the fullest, even if it’s just a pretty normal day. It means doing your best, loving the most, being as happy as you can be and being at peace with your life and loved ones. I think if you focus on each day, that eventually each day builds and builds and your goals become reality. If I can go to bed at the end of each day and be happy and healthy, and my family is happy and healthy, THAT’S having it all for me.
Kate: I do think that I have “it all,” and that the hardest part is being mindful and recognizing that we have been given such blessings. It’s difficult to always want more and to feel like things can always be better, which is a good thing for self-improvement and especially in building a business, but it can also be destructive if you don’t appreciate what you already have. To have healthy kids, a husband who is my soulmate and a selfless father {and cooks dinner 7 days a week… don’t hate me}, a successful career, to be able to work with my sister, be surrounded by family and friends who love and support us… I think that’s pretty much all I could ask for.
Want to be interviewed for #workingmomwednesday? Contact me to find out how.
I’ve never been one to believe in soulmates. I believe that relationships take two people actively choosing to love one another, even on the bad days.
Yet when I met Kristal Ronnebaum for the first time I instantly knew that we were soul sisters. We caught up over lunch and by the end practically finished each other’s sentences between laughing and crying with one another while sharing our personal and professional highs and lows.
And, not unlike that initial lunch together, Kristal’s interview isn’t brief, but it is chock full of love and wisdom. My soul sister bares it all to you in this week’s Working Mom Wednesday.
Self-promo time. Tell me what you do.
I am the proud Sales and Marketing Manager for a Veterinary Pharmaceutical Manufacturer in Lenexa and am also Kansas City’s Marketing Lead for Baby Love, KC’s Only Baby Fair. We will host twice this year on June 12 and November 13 at the Overland Park Convention Center.
What can mamas expect at Baby Love?
Baby Love, KC’s Only Baby Fair is a day of celebration, pampering and education for Kansas City’s new and expecting families. We feature this city’s finest resources in baby products, services and education all in one convenient place. The skills they will acquire are designed to give them a head start in their exciting new journey of parenthood. If you’re already a mommy, I’m very confident we’ve got plenty of new tips and tricks for you too!
Where did you come up with the idea?
As you know as a new mommy, there are plenty of late night/early morning moments with just you and your bundle of joy. It’s also a time of great self-reflection and a moment or two when you think to yourself, “Oh My God, What am I DOING?” It was one of those nights as I was nursing Connor and thought, “why in the world is there no event that gives us all the sweet loving we need as new parents, but also help for the things we never thought we needed to know?”
[tweetthis remove_hidden_hashtags=”true” remove_hidden_urls=”true”]”Oh My God, What am I DOING?” #thingsmomsays #firsttimemom #workingmomwednesday[/tweetthis]
What’s the craziest thing that’s happened during a show?
I love that you asked this! At our very first event last August, one of our most exciting activities was a LIVE Gender Reveal for one lucky family on stage! The couple invited all of their family to be there and even perfect strangers at the show were on pins and needles to see if this baby was a BOY or GIRL! We scored this giant 36’ balloon filled with the corresponding pink or blue color of confetti and they would pop the balloon on stage at the end of the countdown for all to see. It was going to be EPIC! The night before the show, we took the balloon to a local {not to be mentioned} party store to fill it with helium and on the way back to the convention center it exploded. PINK confetti everywhere! Praise Carey Wickersham, our local Kansas City author of The Wonder Within You and her amazing husband for saving the day. They raced to a local home store, snagged a huge box, filled it with pink balloons tied to the inside, decorated the outside of the box with wrapping paper and created the most amazing solution for us. You can read all about it on her blog, but the moral of the story: EVERYTHING is figure-out-able!
Read on to find out how to enter to win!
How has your business changed since you first envisioned it?
How long do I have? 🙂 The beginning of this lightning moment started as a boutique-style event and was held at the Deer Creek Golf Club just 7 months after Connor was born. By our second year, we welcomed over 300 guests and 60 community partners to the Honey Dews Baby Expo.
Funny thing about life, it throws you curve balls and the true test of your character is how you handle them and respond when it does. We very surprisingly learned I got pregnant THE week of the Honey Dews Baby Expo in April 2014. {Don’t let anybody ever tell you that you can’t get pregnant when you’re stressed! HA!} Sadly we lost that baby in early June and I hit rock bottom. We had suffered two other losses, but this one was above all the most paralyzing. Moving forward, I knew things needed to look differently and as more and more of our proud supporters would ask me when the next event date was and tell me I should host twice a year, what once burst my heart wide open in the most glorious ways now caused me pangs of anxiety.
Then in October 2014, one of our sponsors called to say the girls of Baby Love, Omaha’s Only Baby Fair were planning to bring their event to Kansas City and that I should reach out to them. So Kristi Wilson {the Founder} and I had lunch. We cried through much of it as we realized we shared the exact same heart and vision only THIS chick was an overwhelming success in Omaha! Her events draw 3,000-5,000 guests each time she hosts. It was the perfect fit. I already knew what wonderful resources we had to offer here and had created fantastic relationships with our supporters and she had the business model to draw the masses. We knew we would be better together. Honey Dews Baby Expo joined the ranks of Baby Love, KC’s Only Baby Fair and well, the rest is history!
We launched our first event together in August 2015 and welcomed over 6,000 guests to the Overland Park Convention Center! And the cherry on top? I got pregnant again in September and Miss Jordyn just celebrated her First birthday on Tuesday, May 17!
Any advice for someone with an itch to pursue a passion project?
Many people live their entire lives not experiencing that Lightning Moment. If you are one of the lucky few that it strikes, please I’m begging you…don’t ignore it. It’s not your job to figure out how to do it but to simply begin. Trust me, what you original thought it would be will probably look quite different by the time it’s all said and done. Find yourself an accountabilibuddy. This “buddy” will hold you accountable for all you are capable of being. They know your dreams and your visions and keep you on track when the going gets tough. And finally, say it out loud and write it down. Your chances of it happening go up exponentially!
What is a typical day like for you?
Up at 6 a.m. and into the office by 8 am…okay maybe closer to 8:13 a.m. It amazes me that it really takes every second in between to get us out the door. That is really the only “typical” part of any day and I prefer it that way.
Sure I have my to-do lists {I should own stock in Post-It} but that’s what I love about what I do both full-time and for Baby Love. I save my lunch hours for meetings with Baby Love partners and hit the gym on the weekends and right after work 2-3 days a week before I pick up the children from school. Taking care of myself is non-negotiable on the list. I can feel myself slipping when I don’t and that isn’t fair to anyone. I’m pretty loyal to my facials, massages and pedicures too. When I feel great, I find myself a better wife, mother, friend and everything in between.
One of my favorite tips as a working mom is to come home after school and before we do anything else, sit down with them for 15 minutes and play whatever they want. It seems like such a small amount of time but it allows me to really be present with them and watch their little innocent souls get lost in creativity. Dinner, the dishes, laundry, etc. it can all wait!
What’s your favorite thing about being a mom?
I’m more mindful and present in everything I do with them and for them. I know they are watching my every move and they inspire me to be my very best. The nice part about life is that there’s always tomorrow. If we had a rough day, we get to go to bed and “try harder next time.”
Your babies didn’t come easily for you. What would you tell a friend struggling to start a family of her own?
First of all, there is nothing you can tell a friend that will make it better. Your only job is to SHOW UP. Coffee, Wine or just a good ole cry in the Target parking lot. Just listen and hug and listen some more. Please don’t keep it locked inside. I think it’s tragic that the struggle with loss like this is so taboo to talk about. Not that it makes me feel better to know so many others suffered too, but just that I’m not alone. Now I’m going to get really real. Hold on to your husband/partner tight. I mean REALLY tight. Tighter than you’ve ever held on to anything in your entire life. I remember so vividly the look of complete despair in his face not just when it happened but all the days {some better than others} leading up to getting pregnant again. I felt so helpless and I knew he was hurting too. He and I have always been able to “fix it” for each other. We never did find out what caused those miscarriages exactly. That’s the worst part. You want answers but sometimes there’s just nothing. I look at him now and think of all we have overcome to be here in this moment and am completely overwhelmed with love and admiration for this man. I’m sad it takes such challenges and despair to see it sometimes, but nevertheless I am beyond grateful.
What are the highs and lows of being a working mom?
The highs are this absolutely indescribable love that beams out of me every day. I still have to pinch myself that they are mine. It’s so fun to see a little bit of me and Joe and our personalities in both of them. They are absolutely hilarious! Connor says when I’m nursing Jordyn that she’s getting “skin milk.” They dance and they sing and they are pure joy. Oh sure we struggle big time some days but of course we do. That’s what makes it all real and helps us not to take anything for granted. The lows of being a mom will always be that little ping of mommy guilt that sneaks up on me sometimes especially when I just want to stay home and snuggle them all day long. But then I remember those skills and talents God gave just to me and I head back into the world to share them. Deep down I know the incredible skills my babies are acquiring in their school too and those are lessons that can only be taught in that environment. Joe and I want to be an example for our children that when you dig in deep and give the world all your hustle and grind, anything can be yours.
[tweetthis remove_hidden_hashtags=”true” remove_hidden_urls=”true”]When you dig in deep and give the world all your hustle and grind, anything can be yours. #dreambig[/tweetthis]
Finish this sentence. If I could go back and do it all again, I wish someone would have told me that…
I should stop building dams and throwing rocks into the river of life and forcing it to go the direction I choose. Stop worrying and have faith that the Universe has my back so long as I am true to myself. God made each of us with our own special set of skills and talents. I owe it to the world to show up and share them. Trust that the river will do its job and will take me exactly where I am meant to go. Often times it will take me to places more beautiful and rewarding that I could have ever imagined on my own.
I’m on a quest to having it all. Do you think you have it all?
To me, having it all takes a lifetime. That’s really what the journey is all about. I’ll always be looking for ways to be better and do more because that wheel never really stops spinning when you see the world like I do. The moment you are grateful for all that you have in your life, confirming that you have it all is really the most positive affirmation out there. So relatively speaking yes, I do have it all and am beyond grateful for all that is now and what will be in the future. I’m most importantly grateful for every step it took me to get here.
Don’t forget to enter to win two (2) tickets to Baby Love, KC’s Only Baby Fair on Sunday, June 12 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Overland Park Convention Center. Simply leave a comment below or on Facebook or Instagram and share what makes you most excited about becoming a mommy OR if you are already a mommy, what gives you the greatest joy? Winner will be announced Friday, May 27.
Tickets are $8 in advance and $12 at the door. Once you are inside the event, ALL activities are FREE! Learn infant CPR, infant massage, how to create a safe nursery, childproof your home, install your car seat, and so much more! Join us in the Mommy Pampering Station for a free massage, too! Over $20,000 in prizes will be given away that day!
For all the juicy event details, please visit www.kcbabyfair.com. Additional questions? Kristal wants you to reach out to her directly via email. See you at the show, mamas!
Today’s a big day! Femfessionals Kansas City is celebrating it’s one year anniversary. While I couldn’t be more excited to recognize the amazing women {like her and her and her} who make our community great, it will also be bittersweet as I pass on the presidency in preparation for my upcoming move.
My year launching Femfessionals in Kansas City wouldn’t even have been possible without the woman behind it all. While I’ve never met Violette de Ayala in person, I’ve shared countless conversations with her by phone, email and social platforms.
Not only did Violette teach me the profound impact we can have on one another {often without even knowing one another in the tradition sense}, but she’s showed me {and thousands of others} that we become our best, most successful selves when we lift up one another.
Self-promo time. What do you do?
I am the Founder and CEO of Femfessionals and committed to helping millions of women grow business together, in positivity and in harmony according to their vision.
If that wasn’t your gig, what do you think you’d be doing?
I would be an Angel Investor helping women entrepreneurs grow business! Same thing, but from another perspective.
What on your resume led you here?
I launched my first business at the age of 22 and haven’t stopped launching businesses. I have owned companies in personal training, Pilates, marketing and PR industries. All of my past experience helps me serve women globally from the understanding of knowing how to create a business from scrap funding and limited time. I personally know the real struggle of launching businesses while raising a family and juggling life and work and all the other stuff in between.
It sounds like you’re paying it forward!
The number one question I get is “how do you do it?” As a result, I teach many classes sharing my method of duplicating your productivity in half the time of the norm.
What has been your own biggest setback?
The hardest challenge has been what many women entrepreneurs experience themselves: a lack of funding. More and more companies share through the arms of advertisement how they invest in women and their businesses. Yet still, its incredibly difficult for women to find outside funding. We didn’t have the financial funding/support like some of the other organizations. We had to wear many hats and work 75-hour work weeks and make less then minimum wage a few times. We are not alone in that scenario. I hope to personally change this in the future.
What keeps you motivated?
Hearing the ways our organization has changed the lives of thousands of women. They have grown businesses together, shifted their lives to walk in their purpose and become friends along the way. That’s the best! I love to see our FEMS connect on social media and work together to lift one another up.
Finish this sentence. If I could go back and do it all again, I wish someone would have told me that…
…it will all work out and stop the stressing.
What is a typical day like for you?
My typical day is a sitcom on Comedy Central! The standard is 6 am wake up with some email responses. 7 am out the door with the two girls {one on a bus stop and the other directly to school}. I hit Equinox to work out because it makes me a better human. I work back to back until 3 pm carpool. Then 4 pm carpool. Then the pick ups between girl scouts, volleyball and all the other playdates and activities. After dinner and homework time, I connect back at work from 7-9 and then work again from 9:45-10:30. I work on Sunday’s a bit to prepare for the week and that is my golden hour.
They say it takes a village. Who helps you with your kiddos?
It takes a planet!!! My village {aka. my planet} is composed of my neighbors, my girlfriends and other mommies. Steve is a great dad and works a lot of hours during the week. On the weekends he helps out and takes the kids out so I have some downtime. I have a great support system.
What’s the best part about being a mom?
The best part of being a mom is witnessing three humans change the world through their kindness and service to others. All three of our little ones, in their own way, are authentic in their connection of how they want to leave their legacy. It’s beautiful to know the world is a better place because of these kiddos.
Any advice for working moms?
Create a network with other moms to help you and be sure to dedicate quality time to your kids. Schedule off work hours/no wifi connectivity time. Be present as these moments go by fast. The worst regret is not being there for those moments that seem ordinary but turn out to be filled of lifetime highlights. Be. Present.
[tweetthis remove_hidden_hashtags=”true” remove_hidden_urls=”true”]Be present as these moments go by fast. #motherhood #workingmomwednesday[/tweetthis]
I’m on a quest to having it all. Do you think you have it all?
We all have our own personalized visions, our own desires and goals. “Having it all” {as I define it} is a fluid state of mind that continues from one platform to another one. We never arrive at the state of perfection but instead flow continuously within harmony to our next great milestone. Everything in life is compromise and balance, and between those lines is the sweet spot of having it all. To discover that delicate balance is indeed the gold of the topic.
I always ask my mamas if there is anything else they want to share at the end of their interview. Violette ended with these words: support other women by purchasing from their stores, using their services, recommending them to others and being there to lift others up when needed.
Amen.
Want to be interviewed for #workingmomwednesday? Contact me to find out how.
I spent the first summer after my freshman year at the University of San Diego in my college town instead of heading home for the break. My best friend from high school was supposed to come too, but got mono and had to head home earlier than expected. I spent several weeks alone before my college friends came back for the fall semester.
Most of the time I was fine. I hit my apartment’s gym and pool up whenever I wasn’t working. But one day I decided I needed to live off of more than cereal and mac & cheese, so I headed to a restaurant inside a big outdoor mall nearby.
“Just you?” the hostess asked.
I was mortified.
Everyone in the restaurant was surely staring as she walked me to a table on the patio where I would pathetically sit by myself. I lasted about 45 seconds before I got out my cell phone and called my mom and begged her to talk to me while waited for my food.
After I ate and paid, I rushed out without making eye contact with anyone and vowed that I was never going to eat at a restaurant by myself again.
Flash forward a decade.
Last week a photographer came over to shoot pictures of our house for its listing. She prefers that the client not be home so that she can do her thing, so I gathered my work and scooted out the door. I really only had one errand to run and it was after 11 a.m. so I decided to head to a nearby sushi restaurant.
When I got there the place was pretty empty, so the hostess offered me a table near the window in the front. Pretty soon a couple came in, followed by a father and son, and what appeared to be several business meetings.
I kept to myself while I ate. {Confession: I did have my laptop with me since it was one of my no-kids work days.}
Do you know what I was thinking about in between bites of my Philly roll? Wow, it feels amazing to be eating out by myself!
Was it the fact that I eat most of my meals either standing up or with our 2 year old trying to crawl into my lap from across the table that had changed my outlook on dining solo?
It’s possible, but I think it has more to do with the way the experiences I’ve had in my twenties have helped me grow into the person I am today.
[tweetthis remove_hidden_hashtags=”true” remove_hidden_urls=”true”]The experiences I’ve had in my twenties have helped me grow into the person I am today #turning30[/tweetthis]
I traveled. In my early twenties, I spent a semester in Europe. I went out weeks before my study abroad program began to travel around with a friend and even by myself for a week. I experienced unforgettable places and was pushed outside of my comfort zone countless times, yet the thing I remember most from the trip is the lesson that came from the airline loosing all of my belongings on the way overseas: things are just that – things. Stuff is replaceable.
I graduated. I also got my first “adult” job with Teach for America. After moving across the country, I entered their training program where I quickly learned that I wasn’t going to be a good fit. I quit my first job before it had even started. I felt like a complete failure and incredibly selfish for putting my own needs over those of my potential students. It took several months {okay, years} for me to really get over it, but now I look back without any regret and am proud of myself for following my instincts.
I partied. I drank for fun {sometimes to the point of it not being fun anymore} and stayed up late with friends. I attended social events in Las Vegas, went to costume parties on the beach, and sipped cocktails on Manhattan rooftops. Most impressively, I would even wake up the next morning and function like a fairly normal human being.
I moved. San Diego, New York {where I met my husband}, Phoenix and Kansas City {where we got married}. We tested the strength of our relationship with each move {something I highly recommend doing with a loved one before you put a ring on it}. It was stressful, but so is real life. Once landing in KC we bought our first house. I learned that owning a home is demanding and expensive, but all of that maintenance and afternoons mowing the lawn sure make you take pride in the place.
I became a mom. In my mid-twenties, my husband and I had our first child. Two years later we welcomed one more and then lost another. Morning sickness isn’t something I would wish upon my worst enemy, but it’s amazing to see what a body can go through in order to create another life. Fortunately, after many months of vomiting, I was one of the lucky ones who was able to lose weight fairly easily and nurse without any many complications {we all have our tradeoffs, right?}. I remember being moved to tears when I would look down at each of my babies because I was so full of love and gratitude…and hormones. Motherhood is a journey that every mom will experience in her own way, and our decisions are personal and guided by love.
I met new people. A handful have become dear friends. Some of them moved away and now I will be moving away from many myself. I attended countless weddings and was honored to be in a few {I give one heck of a toast}. I walked away from friendships that weren’t good for me. I’ve lost friends who were taken way too soon, and realized that while funerals certainly aren’t something I look forward to they can bring people together in strange, incredible ways.
I became an adult. I dropped many of the Mr. and Mrs.’s from my childhood {with permission, of course}. I began seeing former teachers as peers and even friends. I decided that I really like my parents as more than just my mom and dad, but as people. I stopped being intimidated in the workplace by those who were older and seemingly more experienced and realized my own potential and worth.
I adjusted my priorities. By my late twenties, I realized that my new version of “going out” was walking over to my neighbors house with a glass of wine while our kids played in the driveway. I still go to parties {at my daughter’s school}, but I’m always in bed by nine. I can no longer wake up the next morning and function if I consume alcohol, which is a bummer since our two children won’t sleep past 7 a.m.
I became older than all of the contestants on The Bachelor {not sure when that happened}.
I got involved. I networked more often, launched a women’s organization and joined various boards. I voted in elections and gave back to my community. I learned that it’s okay to say “no” sometimes, too.
I worked hard. I changed jobs, got a promotion and a few raises. I watched my husband leave his comfy 9-5 to work for himself, and eventually took the risk to leave the workplace to start my own business, too. I also got up the courage to write about it all here.
And somewhere between twenty and thirty, without me even realizing it, I grew comfortable in my own skin. So much so that I am able to eat by myself in a restaurant.
If you’ve been anywhere near a computer or smart phone this last week, you’ve like already read about the woman coining the phrase “meternity” leave. {I know, eye roll.}
One thing all working moms can agree on is that maternity leave is hardly “me time.” Us mamas are bonded by the endless diaper changes, sore breasts and sleepless nights.
Yet the details surrounding our leave policies are as diverse as our babies themselves.
Enter List Your Leave, a new website that’s on a mission to get women – and men – smart about maternity leave policies before they even need them.
What is List Your Leave?
List Your Leave rel=”no follow” is a free database of maternity and paternity leave policies by company or organization in the U.S., created to be a resource for all working families. It provides policy information and anonymous reviews and company culture ratings so all working families can get smart on leave.
It sounds like working moms are behind the scenes.
We come from a variety of different industries and backgrounds. Most of us are moms and dads, but some of us are just interested in improving the balance between career and family for our friends, families and coworkers. So while we might have other gigs, List Your Leave and helping everyone get smart on leave is our passion project.
Which came first, the positive pregnancy test or the interest in maternity leave?
Most women {and men} are uninformed about their family leave policy before they need it. Which means of course that for most women, including the founders of List Your Leave, the positive pregnancy test comes before the interest in maternity leave policies – but in order to make career and family work, we should all be thinking about family leave well before we have a family.
[tweetthis remove_twitter_handles=”true” remove_hidden_hashtags=”true” remove_hidden_urls=”true”]Don’t wait until you are in the family planning stage of your career to get educated about your leave benefits.[/tweetthis]
What’s the number one question you’re asked?
The biggest question for List Your Leave is what is my maternity/paternity leave policy? Many think FMLA is paid leave, and many assume when co workers and friends take leave that its paid in some way. But in reality, even if you got a check during your maternity leave, you may not have gotten paid leave. We hope to answer all your maternity leave questions through our database and blog.
What has been your biggest challenge?
Specifically for List Your Leave, our biggest challenge was probably finding the time to start a project like this while working and managing families. Everyone knows that balance can be hard, but the founders of List Your Leave feel the cause of transparency around family leave policies is important enough to commit time and energy to. We have regular catch up calls, strategy calls and each devote specific time set aside for List Your Leave every week. In addition, we stay in touch through texts and chat, because every working mom knows how hard it is to find actual phone time! And the response to List Your Leave has been fantastic – thankfully it is not a challenge to get new parents to understand how much better prepared they would have been for a family leave if they had all the information, and now they can help out other new parents by leaving reviews of their own experience at their company or organization.
Finish this sentence. If I could go back and do it all again, I wish someone would have told me that…
I should have looked at the maternity leave policy for my company before I took the job. For many working mothers, maternity leave is their biggest professional challenge AND setback. Unpaid leave costs new mothers 25-30% of their annual salary. In addition, taking leave can keep women {and men} from receiving annual bonuses and promotions and permanently alter a career trajectory. Knowing a company’s policy before taking a job, or before negotiating your leave with your boss, can make a huge difference in your annual and future salary as well as where you go within your company and career.
What’s the best part about being a mom?
The smiles! Our kiddos are all so excited every time we walk through the door, whether it be to get them up in the morning or when each of us gets home from work, and it is so rewarding to see their faces light up just knowing we get to hang out together. Being a mom is a hard job, but it’s a fun job too. And working moms know time together with their little ones is precious, so we all try to enjoy it every chance we get.
It’s no secret that women are better together. How can moms on List Your Leave support each other?
List Your Leave is providing a platform to help all working moms share their experiences anonymously and help out other moms going through the same confusing process known as maternity leave. And make sure to add a review of your maternity leave experience on List Your Leave so you help other working moms out, and help companies understand we care about leave. Because if employees care about leave, companies will too!
What’s your best piece of advice for women in the workplace who are thinking about starting a family?
Get smart on leave! Do the research and then talk to your employer. List Your Leave can help you understand your benefits and the benefits of other companies in your industry, city or state. Use this as a starting point to talk to your company or in finding a company willing to help you balance a successful career with your family life.
Any tips for businesses?
When companies support their workers in creating both a successful career and a rewarding family life, both benefit tremendously. Data supports this, and List Your Leave believes the way to achieve this for all American workers is through transparency.
I’m on a quest to having it all. Do you all think you have it all?
Having it all is certainly different for everyone. We think we have it all because we have great jobs, great families, and an opportunity to help other working parents have the same. However, since having it all means something different to everyone we want to make sure your voice is included. Email us at hello@listyourleave.com to tell us what you want to see in a database designed to help you get smarter on the right company/career/path for you!
Want to be interviewed for #workingmomwednesday? Contact me to find out how.
When I found out I was pregnant earlier this summer I had to make some changes. No more changing the kitty litter. No more heavy lifting. And no more chemicals. These last two were especially tough as we attempted to keep our Kansas City home clean for showings and began packing.
