Motherhood and Career Collide: Recent Episodes
Kimberly and Ashley
How did motherhood and career collide for you today? Welcome to the Motherhood and Career Collide Podcast with your hosts, Kimberly and Ashley! They are 2 working moms, living on opposite coasts, on a mission to normalize what life as a modern career mom really looks like. Each episode takes you through an unexpected phase of working motherhood. They offer raw and vulnerable stories while also including fact-driven information, which offers balance as they engage in solution-oriented conversation.With Kimberly’s experience in Corporate America and Ashley’s experience in Healthcare, they offer a large breadth of knowledge and understanding to working women in all fields. Not to mention, they’re both entrepreneurs! Kimberly is the Founder of Learning Motherhood and Ashley is the Founder of Working Mom Notes.Although it is hard to find support and work through the challenges of being a working mom, Kimberly and Ashley shed light on topics not often discussed and they offer reassuring perspectives. Pull up a chair and join the conversation! They'd love to hear from you!
Reflecting on Season 3: Themes, top downloaded episodes, our favorites, and what's up next
Kimberly and Ashley are excited to regroup and bring a fresh new take on Motherhood and Career Collide. We will be moving forward with 2 seasons a year: January-June and September-December. Stay tuned, catch up on the episodes, enjoy your summer, and see you in September!
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We often talk about how we should "record before the recording" because of all the great conversation we have when we know it's just between the two of us. So, today we did just that! Of course, it morphed into an informative discussion about water safety to keep in mind for all ages this summer. We review the differences between rip current, under toe, and rip tide - what they are, how to recognize them, and what to do if caught in one on these.
Resources:The differences between rip currents, undertows and rip tidesNational Ocean Service
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This week we have the pleasure of talking to Kate Anderson! Kate is the Chief of Staff at Motherly and previously worked as the VP of Operations at IFundWomen from September 2016 to December 2021. Kate Anderson reports to Jill Koziol, CEO.
In this episode, we get the inside scoop on Motherly's 6th Annual State of Motherhood Report. Nearly 10,000 mothers completed our sixth annual survey, conducted from Feb. 26 to March 13, 2023. To ensure our results represent today's mothers accurately, we weighted the data to align with US Census demographic data. Our report focuses on the findings from millennial and Gen Z mothers, but we also provide some insights from Gen X mothers who participated in the survey. Findings continue to validate that today’s mothers are parenting without adequate structural support.
Motherly’s annual survey of nearly 10,000 mothers reveal:
- Rate of SAHMs has nearly doubled at 25%, compared to 15% in 2022
- 52% of working moms say the cost of childcare has made them consider leaving the workforce.
- Eight-in-ten (80%) mothers are concerned about a possible recession and 71% report they are planning to cut back spending.
- 58% of moms report they are primarily responsible for the duties of running a household and caring for children
- 54% of moms reporting that they are having less sex than they were a year ago
- Nearly half (46%) of mothers are currently seeking therapy
Join us as Kate breaks down the evolution of this report over the years and delivers some staggering facts specifically regarding working mothers.
Visit the State of Motherhood Website
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The Down There Doc was born out of necessity to fill the gaps in our current medical system that leave women feeling isolated, dismissed, overwhelmed, and underprepared for childbirth and recovery.
Pelvic Floor health is at the top of the list for things that “slip through the cracks” within our healthcare system, and the negative effects can impact women for a LIFETIME.
We’re here to raise the standard of care for pregnant and postpartum women everywhere with affordable, accessible, hassle-free resources, education, and training.
Check out more at www.thedowntheredoc.com
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Kimberly had the opportunity for a cross-over event and of course she said YES!! Join her and Naomi Titleman, host of The foHRsight Podcast to talk about the importance of having a parent-friendly culture and programs.
As two working parents, they share stories and tips on re-entry to work, and explored the benefits of having a culture that supports all caregivers.
Navigating these uncharted waters as HR professionals is not always easy – there’s no playbook on how to deal with a world changing at such pace. Organisations are facing an exponential level of technology-enabled disruption, cultural evolution, and new people-related needs to respond to, making it a fascinating, but challenging time to work in HR.
future foHRward is a platform for the HR community, delivering leading-edge content, events and thought leadership.
We believe the CHRO and HR team are critical to an organization’s ability to successfully navigate this new world of work and they need to be equipped with the knowledge, tools and mindset to drive continuous change.
More can be found here: futurefohrward.com
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How did we rediscover ourselves, or as Eve Rodsky has dubbed it, our "Unicorn Space"? It's that special place to own your interests and allow your creativity to thrive. With Mother's Day around the corner, this week's episode focuses on why our own Unicorn Space matters. Join us as Kimberly and Ashley reflect on their identities and how they have worked to reclaim their sense of fun.
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Erica Rooney. Keynote Speaker, Executive Coach & Consultant, Chief People Officer, C-Suite "whisperer", wife, momma, and fitness fanatic.
As THE Gender Equality Crusader, I challenge organizations to level up their equity game, and I empower women to get seen, get heard, and get promoted.
More about Erica!
I am on a mission to help anyone I meet, break out of their sticky floors, and bust through the glass ceiling, to live a life filled with purpose, passion, and peace.
I climbed the corporate ladder from an individual contributor role to C-Level Executive - in just under 10 years. While navigating marriage, motherhood, and the monumental stress that comes with it all, I found my “need for perfect” was causing my failure to launch, my fear of what others thought of me was causing a failure to thrive, and my tactic of quieting my anxiety with wine was keeping me from igniting my passion.
Erica's Podcast: From Now to Next - Get Seen, Get Heard, Get Promoted!
Erica's Website
Ashley is in for quite a surprise as she realizes spring break has crept up on her... and Kimberly discusses her prep work for the kids being off. How do Ashley and Kimberly handle their kids being off? We're here to cheer you on as we walk you through a plan to make it through Spring Break with your kids!
Are you traveling during your kids' spring break? Join Ashley and Kimberly for some tips and tricks to make it a little bit better as you transition from work to vacation and back to work again.
Kimberly and Ashley go through the things they enjoyed before motherhood that they felt defined them and how that changed after motherhood. How do we advocate for what we need in order to maintain a level of self outside of being a parent?
Coming back to the root of why we created this podcast: When motherhood and career collides over and over again within a week. Join Ashley and Kimberly as they break down navigating a challenging week as career moms.
Ashley and Kimberly talk about their own limitations when it comes to asking for help and how they overcame that mindset.
Resources:
- Why Moms Need to Shift Their Perspective on Asking for Help
Join us as FATHERHOOD and Career Collide in this episode!
Michael Perry is the Founder and CEO of Maple, a family tech startup looking to ease the burden of parenting, freeing up families to spend more quality time together. Michael was the former Shopify product director and co-founder of Kit (which was acquired by Shopify in 2016). He left his role at Shopify in 2020, after becoming a father, to develop a platform that would change the world of parenting through technology that already exists for nearly every other industry.
Be sure to check out the Maple App to help you and your family get more organized!
New Zealand’s prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, has said she is resigning, in an unexpected announcement that came as she confirmed a national election for October.
Ardern became the world’s youngest female head of government when she was elected prime minister in 2017 at 37. She has led New Zealand through the Covid-19 pandemic and a series of disasters, including the terrorist attack on two mosques in Christchurch and the White Island volcanic eruption.
Ashley and Kimberly openly discuss and debate women in leadership and how so many women have recently stepped down from their roles.
References:
- Jacinda Ardern resigns as prime minister of New Zealand
- Netflix Documentary: The Volcano Rescue from Whakaari
- Why Moms Need to Shift Their Perspective on Asking for Help
Well, this episode is a long time coming and one big & magical DUH - Marissa & Jamie of The Dreamcatchers chat with like minded dreamers, doers, founders, & MOMS. In this special Cross Over event, Kimberly, Ashley, Marissa, and Jamie talk Corporate America, Pivots, Parenting, Balance, Safe Space and more- and frankly would have talked for days with these dynamos.
In pure motherhood and career fashion, Ashley and Kimberly have accepted that the holiday season is next-level exhausting and they give themselves some grace for the month of January. Join us for season 3 as we reflect on what worked in 2022 and what didn't. We are excited for what is to come this year and love that you're joining us on this wild ride!
Become a supporter of our show and get a shoutout in an upcoming episode! Along with your monthly subscription, you have the opportunity to submit a question to be featured and discussed on the show. Email us with your question: motherhoodandcareercollide@gmail.com
We appreciate your support in bringing quality content to the podcast!
"While we’ve come a long way from the kind of sexist, racist office culture that was once depicted in Mad Men, masculinity is still deeply embedded in the DNA of the American workplace. In many offices, modern Don Drapers live among us, having switched out their three-piece suits for Patagonia vests and hoodies. Their macro-aggressions are now microaggressions and their daily whiskey drink … well, in some cases, it’s still a daily whiskey drink. (And OK, some of their macro-aggressions survived, too.)
From the very architecture of our offices to the traditional structure of a 9-to-5 workday, our workplace culture was built with men in mind. But what would happen if we tore it all down and rebuilt it, from scratch, thinking about women instead? Ellevest CEO and co-founder Sallie Krawcheck used hard data to imagine what that looks like in a recent Op-Ed for Fast Company."
So, what would it look like? Join Ashley and Kimberly as they talk through what women said.
27 Ways to Create a Women-Centered Workplace
Sometimes we don't even realize how stressed we are until we have a mental breakdown. Moms go into autopilot during the holidays. Why does that happen? Ashley and Kimberly tackle this final stretch of the year with tips to support our mental health and the logistics of the holidays.
Women in the Workplace is the largest study on the state of women in corporate America.1 In 2015, LeanIn.Org and McKinsey & Company launched the study to give companies insights and tools to advance gender diversity in the workplace. Between 2015 and 2022, over 810 companies participated in the study, and more than 400,000 people were surveyed on their workplace experiences. This year, we collected information from 333 participating organizations employing more than 12 million people, surveyed more than 40,000 employees, and conducted interviews with women of diverse identities, including women of color, LGBTQ+ women, and women with disabilities. Our 2022 report focuses on how the pandemic has changed what women want from their companies, including the growing importance of opportunity, flexibility, employee well-being, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Join us as we give you an overview of this report.
Source: https://leanin.org/women-in-the-workplace/2022
Kids and parents are getting sick... and keeping kids out of school and parents out of work. There is a true collision of sickness and staff shortages, which is making it even more challenging for parents and teachers. Kimberly and Ashley share their experiences with needing to miss work for sick kids and the overarching theme of the childcare crisis.
References:
- RSV, covid and flu are keeping kids out of school — and parents out of work
- RSV is back: FAQ
Venture Europe
personal conversations with the entrepreneurs and investors reshaping our future
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
As women, we want to look & feel beautiful for all of life’s moments, but navigating the world of fashion + beauty to “look good” is hard! From staying up to date with the ever-changing brands and trends, spending countless hours shopping, finding advice and recommendations for you and that you trust, and more...who has the time!?
Founder Nicole experienced this challenge firsthand through phases of her life from bride, to businesswoman, to mom. She thought that there had to be a way to save women time/stress and help them feel beautiful, confident, and Prept for every occasion. While on maternity leave and finally had a break from the corporate hustle, Prept, a solution to this problem for women, was born.
Prept provides the modern woman on-the-go with personalized style + beauty assistance at her fingertips so she can save time and stress and feel beautiful, confident, & “Prept'' for any and all occasions. Our virtual style + beauty services are affordable and accessible through our app. Each entails 1:1 connection with vetted style/beauty pros for personalized advice and shopping suggestions to help you show up in style to events, refresh your wardrobe, master your makeup, or just feel more confident in your clothes! We love to help women of all walks of life, ages, body types, and budgets look & feel their absolute best.
Discount:Use code: MOTHERHOOD for 10% off any of Prept's virtual style + beauty services that can be purchased and redeemed upon taking the quiz in the app (link below)!
Website (where you'll find link to app and other info & resources like how to stay Prept for the Holidays!)
App (direct link to the app!)
It's really hard to stay focused when so much is going on in life. Kimberly and Ashley discuss some reasons they have struggled focusing at work and what they do to reset and get the job done - literally!
Reference:
- Boosting productivity: Research identifies small changes that lead to big improvements in performance
Special Guest, Dr. Rebekah Diamond, joined Ashley and Kimberly to discuss her experience as a working mother and how she was able to translate it to her book, "Parent Like A Pediatrician: All the Fact, None of the Fear."
Dr. Diamond takes us through how motherhood changed the way she practices medicine and how she relates different to parents. Her book is currently on sale, but wait! We are giving away Parent Like A Pediatrician to one lucky listener!
Here's how to enter the giveaway:
- Write a podcast review for Motherhood and Career Collide
- Like this episode post on Instagram and comment on your favorite part of the episode
The winner will be announced next Monday!
Parent Like A Pediatrician
Motherhood can get a bit crazy and may feel like you're drinking from a fire hose. This week Kimberly and Ashley talk about integrating the social calendars, sports, school responsibilities, etc of the whole family. They break down aspects of motherhood that have framed our mindsets. How do we stay present when we're constantly anticipating the next step, event, meal... ? They answer this question and so much more.
Dr. Veronica Eyo, LCSW, EdD is a licensed clinical social worker who provides individual and couples therapy to support the treatment of depression, anxiety, relational issues, grief/loss, perinatal mood, and anxiety disorders. In order to provide the most meaningful change, she utilizes a collaborative approach to best accomplish your goals. She specializes in working with mothers - our favorite type of person!
Join us as we talk to Dr. Veronica about transitions with our kids as they enter the school year. How do we manage their feelings and ours? Dr. Veronica has some incredible pearls to best engage with our children after school.
https://www.drveronicalcsw.com/
Taming the Hustle... or Something of the Sorts
An entertaining mix of financial advice, marketing/business tips, and a lot of humour.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Buzzsprout — Easiest Way to Start a Podcast
Start podcasting today. It's the easiest way to start, grow, and monetize your podcast.
Brand
Finland's new parental leave policy allots both parents 160 days’ parental allowance, with one parent able to transfer up to 63 days to the other. There will be an allowance period of 40 days for the final stage of pregnancy and six allowance days per week, with total amount of days for parents amounting to more than 14 months.
Parents can use their allowance days up until the child reaches the age of two, and can split the leave up into four parts. Only the pregnancy allowance days will have to be used in a single continuous period, starting 14 to 30 days before the estimated date of birth. If a child has only one parent, they are entitled to an allowance of 320 working days.
Join us as we discuss the details of this new reform, how Finland is able to pay for this in comparison to U.S. structures along with the landscape of America's parental leave policy.
Resources:
- Vero Skatt: Social and Health Insurance Contributions
- The World ‘Has Found a Way to Do This’: The U.S. Lags on Paid Leave
- Parental Leave Pushed Forward In Yet Another Country — Can The U.S. Be Next
The Future Is Freelance
This show is for freelancers, sole traders, solopreneurs, digital nomads, consultants,...
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Kimberly has strong feelings about quiet firing and the difference between this and when an employee is put on a performance plan.
Quiet Firing is a phenomenon in which employers demoralize unwanted workers to the point that they decide to quit. An employee resigns as a result of the employer creating hostile work environments. It is also called constructive dismissal, constructive discharge, or constructive termination.
Join Ashley and Kimberly as they discuss their personal experiences with quiet firing, employee performance plans, and blatant discrimination in the workplace. We also talk about what to do if you're experiencing being quietly fired.
Resources
- What to Do if You Think Your Boss Is Trying to 'Quietly Fire' You
- 10 Signs Your Boss Is Guilty Of Quiet Firing
Retail Done Right
We’ve entered a new era of retail, the era of the Customer Channel, where Shoppers...
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Are you a quiet quitter? The objective is to avoid occupational burnout and "act your wage." Ironically, it has nothing to do with quitting at all!
Join us as we talk through some important questions.
- What is quiet quitting?
- How did we get here?
- How do we come to a solution that works for both employees and employers?
Resources:
- The Professional Try-Hard Is Dead, But You Still Need to Return to the Office
- Quiet Quitting Is About Bad Bosses, Not Bad Employees
- Why the fuss over quiet quitting?
- Gallup Poll: Is Quiet Quitting Real?
Couture & Construction
Weekly conversations about luxury building & design. Brought to you by Textures Nashville.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Your Future in Sales & Marketing
A podcast that can help you make great decisions to get the most out of your Sales &...
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Smells Like Humans
Like spending time with funny friends talking about curious human behavior.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Getting back into the swing of things after summer can be a lot of trial and error. Kimberly and Ashley discuss what has worked for them in the past, what they're doing differently, and offer each other support as we all head back into the school year!
Reference:
- Strategies for Successful School Transitions: Preschool to Elementary School and Beyond
Today we welcome Madeline Reeves, Founder and CEO of Fearless Foundry. She walks us through her life as a young, single working mom, her experience in tech, and the deep experiences that have brought her to where she is today.
From working at startups to Fortune 500s, Madeline never found a company that perfectly matched her mission-driven ethos. Instead, she became the boss she always wanted, built Fearless Foundry from the ground up, and grew it from a one-woman show into a dynamic, ever-evolving team of powerhouses. Her longtime goal has been to get resources into the hands of underrepresented founders. Fearless Foundry is her conduit for this, and for creating meaningful and well-paying work for other women. A born leader, she revels in developing business strategies alongside clients, coaching the team, and getting to work with humans she loves every day. If she’s not resolutely fighting the patriarchy, she’s probably writing, podcasting, or sewing clothes for her kids and dog.
Check out Fearless Foundry
TMAC Fitness. 20 Minute Home Workouts
Beginner and Advanced Workouts. No equipment. Each Workout Ends with a Meditation.
Brand Evoke Greatness
Are you interested in hearing the stories of how people navigated their path to greatness?
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
The Enthusiasm Project
Deep dives exploring the world of what it means to be an independent creator.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
What does a typical week of food look like in our households? What are our go-to meals and how do we feel about feeding the family. Join us as we talk about the dreaded question: "Mom, what's for dinner?!?"
Rags To Riches
Rags To Riches will help to develop a ‘have-everything’ mindset. Dominate in any industry.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Taming the Hustle... or Something of the Sorts
Helpful and entertaining financial planning and marketing advice mixed with lots of laughs
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
How's everyone fairing halfway through the summer? Did your childcare plans for the kids work out or will you be doing it differently next summer?
Does anyone else feel like a taxi driver? The motivation initiator? The cheerleader? Summertime is a different level of parenting and logistics. Join us as we talk through the blur of summer!
Reverse Engineered
Learn how to grow yourself and your business from entrepreneurs and industry experts.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Ashley and Kimberly take a hard look in the mirror and answer some tough questions honestly about how much time they spend on screens and how much time they allow their kids to be on screens. We touch on how many screens we have in our home, the rules we have, if any, around screen time usage, and whether or not we think we have healthy relationships with screen time. We also dive into how much time we spend on social media versus what we allow our children to watch on screens.
References:
- The Social Dilemma: Social Media and Your Mental Health
- Power Down: 4 Ways to Fight Digital Burnout
- What Made Maddy Run
- I’m Addicted to My Phone. How Can I Cut Back?
Join us as we talk to STACY T. SIMS, MSC, PHD, a forward-thinking international exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist who aims to revolutionize exercise nutrition and performance for women.
She has directed research programs at Stanford, AUT University, and the University of Waikato, focusing on female athlete health and performance and pushing the dogma to improve research on all women.
With the unique opportunities, Silicon Valley has to offer, during her tenure at Stanford, she had the opportunity to translate earlier research into consumer products and a science-based layperson's book (ROAR) written to explain sex differences in training and nutrition across the lifespan. Both the consumer products and the book challenged the existing dogma for women in exercise, nutrition, and health. This paradigm shift is the focus of her famous "Women Are Not Small Men” TEDx talk.
Her contributions to the international research environment and the sports nutrition industry has established a new niche in sports nutrition; and established her reputation as the expert in sex differences in training, nutrition, and health. As a direct result, she has been named:
- One of the top 50 visionaries of the running industry (2015) by DMSE Sports.
- One of the top 40 women changing the paradigm of her field (2017) by Outside Magazine.
- One of the top four visionaries in the outdoor sports industry (2017) by Outside Magazine - Genius Issue (no electronic version but here is the proof).
- One of the top four individuals changing the landscape in triathlon nutrition (2017) by Triathlete Magazine
https://www.drstacysims.com
Join us as we break down the American Academy of Pediatric new breastfeeding guidelines: Exclusive breastfeeding of infants for the first 6 months of life up to 2 years.
The AAP mentions some policy changes that would help better support breastfeeding mothers, but did they read the room on the timing of this release?
References:
- American Academy of Pediatrics Calls for More Support for Breastfeeding Mothers Within Updated Policy Recommendations
- These New Breastfeeding Guidelines Ignore the Reality of Many American Moms
- New AAP Guidelines on Breastfeeding and Safe Sleep
How do we explain the heaviness of Roe v Wade to our children? Ashley and Kimberly discuss their reactions, how they handled the news with their young children, and what the experts recommend.
References:
- How to talk to your kids about the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade
- How to Talk to Your Kids About Abortion Rights
- How to talk to your child about abortion and Roe v. Wade
Inspired by a recent article in the New York Times written by Jess Grose, Ashley and Kim discuss the pandemic's impact on lost lived experiences.
At the pandemic's start, their children's ages were between one and six. Ashley and Kim share how this loss has shown up in their own homes by talking through missed parenting moments and what their six children have expressed to them.
This episode goes into further detail about Jess Grose's article in the New York Times, "Our Kids Lost Special Moments During the Pandemic. They Won't Get Them All Back", and her experience of what her family has been going through.
Included in the discussion are not only Ashley and Kim's feelings on lost moments during the pandemic but also on favorite moments that will continue to be a part of their families moving forward.
Links for this Episode:
Our Kids Lost Special Moments During the Pandemic. They Won’t Get Them All Back.
Join Ashley and Kimberly as they welcome their first guest: Dr. Emily Splichal!
Dr. Emily Splichal, Podiatrist and Human Movement Specialist, is the mind behind Naboso. With a spirit to challenge conformity, Dr. Splichal has taken her conventional Podiatric Medical degree and combined it with years of experience and expertise in human movement and sensory science to found Naboso.
Dr. Splichal believes that our experience in this world is built around sensory stimulation and our ability to process, perceive, and integrate this information effectively. Since 2012, Dr. Splichal has been traveling the world to share her unique approach to human movement, foot function, and barefoot science. Having taught in 35 countries and to 20,000 professionals, Dr. Splichal has quickly become a global leader in barefoot training and rehabilitation.
Learn More about Dr. Splichal and Naboso:
- Dr. Splichal
- Naboso
- PROMO MOTHERHOOD20 for 20% off!
In honor of all of the fathers, we want to take this episode to discuss how special Dads are! As the show is title, we often talk about motherhood, but let's take a moment to talk about fatherhood.
Another summer for working parents! Ashley and Kimberly both have toddlers through school aged kids and they discuss how they are navigating childcare for summertime.
Join us as we dive right in and break down our feelings about the quote, "We only have 18 summers together with our kids."
Your time is valuable! If women were paid to exclusively breastfeed, each woman would earn no less than $97,027.80! In the wake of a formula shortage, we must normalize that many women can't "just breastfeed" or "just switch" to breastfeeding. It is so much more complicated than that. Join us as we walk through what our time is actually worth and how Ashley calculated these numbers.
Reference:
- If Women Charged for Breastfeeding, How Much Would They Make? (On Medium)
- If Women Charged for Breastfeeding, How Much Would They Make? (On LinkedIn)
The Mother's Day hangover is real, with so much going on as we approach the summer months in the US. Ashley and Kim reflect and think about their experience for that one day and how we should speak to our needs 365 days a year. Celebrating women does not have to fall into societal pressures of what it "should look like" and truly should be defined as what fits your needs. Join Ashley and Kim as they talk through ages and stages and fall away from the time frame of the early May celebrations but think of what this looks like week to week and month to month.
Join Ashley and Kimberly and they talk through the formula shortage and understanding how this happened and actionable steps.
Resources:
- What's Behind America's Formula Shortage?
There is an undertone for career women that is often unspoken: "I'm going to finish all of this - I cannot go into labor before this. I will am going to FINISH IT and then I can concentrate on this new life coming into the world." We push ourselves in an effort to prove ourselves. But how far is too far?
Ashley and Kimberly discuss their experiences and also some recent news articles featuring women pushing through active labor at work to finish the job.
References:
- A candidate gave a speech while in labor — then had to withdraw from the race to give birth
- Minnesota candidate goes into labor just before convention, withdraws from race
- Minnesota State Senate candidate delivered convention speech while in labor and having contractions
How do we support the important people in our lives including teachers and caregivers? Ashley and Kimberly discuss how to advocate for your teachers, nannies, babysitters, and all of the other people supporting you and your children.
References:
- In Support of Teacher Development: A Parent Perspective
- Teru Clavel: Smart Global Perspectives
Becoming a parent has its slew of challenges, but one that is not discussed often is the moment we have to start advocating on behalf of our children. Some parents are very comfortable advocating while others are hesitant. Where do Ashley and Kimberly fall? Can you guess which is hesitant and which is firm? You may be surprised!
Our amazing community added these suggestion to advocate successfully for your child:
- Ask questions (in a nonjudgemental way to ensure you understand the protocols)
- Trust your gut
- Use friends as a “gut check”
- Be kind and respectful in your communication
- Remembering that kids can’t advocate for themselves
- Write a checklist/points of discussion
- “Parent the parent” - If you struggled as a child to be seen and heard, it is natural to feel uncomfortable in situations where you're fighting for your child to be seen and heard (and you as the advocate!) Remember that your concerns are valid and you aren’t being difficult.
Reference:
- Being an advocate for your child
What are the stats on actually hiring moms that include "Mother" on their resume versus owning the gap? Ashley and Kimberly research and discuss moms re-entering the workforce.
References:
- Mom Who Reentered the Workforce After 7 Years Tells Hiring Managers To Consider Parents With 'Resume Gaps'
- How to Explain an Employment Gap on Your Resume as a Parent
Ashley and Kimberly discuss the effects of social media on their mental health. How can we use social media constructively? How can we have productive conversation and debate on social media?
References:
- The Social Dilemma: Social Media and Your Mental Health
- Does social media impact mental health? What we really know
I have forgotten it is half day at school, I have left out a snack before, I forgot it was dress up day, I forgot to do homework with the kids, I have gotten the days mixed up for extra circular activities.
Fear of failing is another thing. That real feeling of "Did I forget something? Am I teaching this wrong or did I react wrong to this? Out of frustration..."
Ashley and Kimberly talk to each other about moments they felt they had failed as mothers and help each other reframe what really happened and how we can look at the situation differently.
References:
- No One Told Me Motherhood Would make me feel like I’m failing all of the time.
- Unpacking the Myth of the Perfect Mother
Fair Play, written by Eve Rodsky has been a game-changer in Ashley and Kimberly's homes. So much so that Kimberly became a Certified Fair Play Facilitator. What is this all about?
As Eve explains, "It Started With The "Sh*t I Do" List
Tired of being the “she-fault” parent responsible for all aspects of her busy household, Eve Rodsky counted up all the unpaid, invisible work she was doing for her family—and then sent that list to her husband, asking for things to change. His response was . . . underwhelming. Rodsky realized that simply identifying the issue of unequal labor on the home front wasn’t enough: She needed a solution to this universal problem. Her sanity, identity, career, and marriage depended on it.
The result is Fair Play: a time-and anxiety-saving system that offers couples a completely new way to divvy up domestic responsibilities. Rodsky interviewed more than five hundred men and women from all walks of life to figure out what the invisible work in a family actually entails and how to get it all done efficiently. With four easy-to-follow rules, 100 household tasks, and a figurative card game you play with your partner, Fair Play helps you prioritize what’s important to your family and who should take the lead on every chore from laundry to homework to dinner.
“Winning” this game means rebalancing your home life, reigniting your relationship with your significant other, and reclaiming your Unicorn Space— as in, the time to develop the skills and passions that keep you interested and interesting."
Fair Play Life
Kimberly Didrikson: Fair Play Facilitator/Book Club Registration
(Register by March 5th to receive the Fair Play book for FREE!)
The gender wage gap is defined as the difference between median earnings of men and women relative to median earnings of men.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor:
1. Women earn 82 cents for every dollar a man earns
2. There is more than one Equal Pay Day (depending on race and ethnicity)
3. Women earn less than men in nearly all occupations
4. Women earn less than their same race and ethnicity counterpart at every level of educational attainment
5. The pandemic has set women’s labor force participation back more than 30 years
So what can we do, as women and mothers to decrease this gap and rise in equity? Enter: The Salary Transparency Report. Ashley from Working Mom Notes has been compiling an editable doc that offers priceless information about how much people are making, where they are located, what benefits are included, and so much more. As the list grows, it gives women the power to connect, network, and leverage the knowledge to negotiate for higher wages.
Join Ashley and Kimberly as they discuss the importance of Salary Transparency. Click the link below to view the report and add your information to the list.
View The Salary Transparency Report
References:
- Why 2022 is the Year of Pay Transparency
- Pay Transparency, Pay Equity, Salary History- What's New for 2022
- Should You Share Your Salary With Co-Workers? Here's What Experts Say
- 2021: Weekly Wage Gap Brief
In this jam-packed episode, Ashley and Kimberly discuss their struggles with mental health and what treatments have worked for them.
Recommendations that are free:
- Take breaks from the news
- Get outside/natural light
- Take care of your body - movement and diet
- Prioritize Sleep
- Stay connected/isolating with no communication is a downward spiral
Additional Recommendations:
- Seek Talk Therapy (most insurances cover a portion)
- Medication (it does not need to be the enemy!)
- CBD Oils could be a support as well with things anxiety
- Vitamin and Mineral Supplements
Resources:
- Mental Health Impacts and Support During the Covid-19 Crisis
- 5 Mental Health Uses for CBD
- Effects of L-Theanine Administration on Stress-Related Symptoms and Cognitive Functions in Healthy Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial
- Lavender (Silexan) for Anxiety
Nearly 50 million Americans are struggling with their mental health - it continues to rise in the pandemic. There is a demand surge for mental health professionals and many have to turn people away. American mothers are utterly depleted and we are here to talk through the mental health crisis that so many of us are experiencing.
Join us for Part I of this two-part discussion. This episode focuses on the prevalence of depression and anxiety amongst mothers. Our next episode focuses on solutions and treatment.
References
- Why 1,320 Therapists Are Worried About Mental Health in America Right Now
- The State Of Mental Health In America
- About Mental Health: The CDC
Kimberly and Ashley review the advantages of being a working mom. There are so many reasons to feel discouraged, but we are here to share the good. This opportunity to maintain a positive mindset and put everything in perspective is backed by some incredible research. Join us as we dive into the proof that being a working mom is worth it!
Resources:
- How Our Careers Affect Our Children
- Mounting Evidence of Advantages for Children of Working Mothers
Collectively, parents agree that 2022 has been a rocky start.
With quarantines disrupting our work/school dynamic, parents find themselves questioning so many decisions. Join us as we break down the current statistics and why parents are going through a rollercoaster of emotions.
Resources:
- COVID Parenting Is Reaching A Breaking Point
- Children and COVID-19: State-Level Data Report
- I See Signs of Despair in Parents of Kids Under 5
Kimberly and Ashley reflect on 2021 and the birth of this podcast. What were the most popular episodes? They discuss the positive takeaways, both personally and professionally, from last year. Now, what does 2022 have in store? Come along with us into Season 2 as we dive into the continued chaos as motherhood and career collide!
Ashley and Kimberly discuss our favorite products for everyone. Take a look and hopefully it will make your holiday shopping a bit easier!
Head to show notes/transcript for the complete list including links!
Ashley and Kimberly are honored to be a working with some incredible women from all walks of life: lawyers, writers, doctors, advocates, professional athletes, and more to create Chamber of Mothers. This brain child was originated by Daphne Devereaux (The Mamattorney) - The Chamber of Mothers is a collective movement to focus America's priorities on mothers’ rights.
Its purpose is the house all groups and people and talents that support women's (especially mothers') rights and who can continue to serve advocacy groups. Advocating for the issues you care about has never been more streamlined.
Our first goal is to secure federal paid family and medical leave.
Join us as we break down more about what Paid Family and Medical Leave could look like in the US and how you can support women's issues that are meaningful to you.
Why do we need a larger lobbying group for women? “Counting both the House of Representatives and the Senate, 144 of 539 seats – or 27% – are held by women. That represents a 50% increase from the 96 women who were serving in the 112th Congress a decade ago, though it remains far below the female share of the overall U.S. population. A record 120 women are serving in the newly elected House, accounting for 27% of the total. In the Senate, women hold 24 of 100 seats, one fewer than the record number of seats they held in the last Congress.”
References:
- Chamber of Mothers
- A record number of women are serving in the 117th Congress
Ashley and Kimberly talk about their experiences with juggling the chaos of the holiday season. How can we take a step back and enjoy it? How do we set boundaries that work for us and our nuclear family? How do we deal with knowing that we can't please everyone? Join us as we break down the ins and outs of our holiday rhythms!
Reference:
- Boundaries Booklet - redeem here
Bad days happen to the best of us. How do Ashley and Kimberly get through those tough times? As a working mother, bad days can happen from home life, work life, and sometimes both! Join us as we break down what bad days sometimes look like for us and how we cope.
It can be so challenging to not be reactive - whether it be towards a colleague or your children. It takes a lot of practice to acknowledge that our initial emotions aren't always the ones to lead with (even when we want to at times!) and there's a window we've learned to take in order to calm down and assess our feelings. Kimberly and Ashley break down their "process" and with some insight from their own experiences.
Reference:
- How To Build Confidence at Work
- Learn to Stop Dwelling on a Bad Day at Work
Join Kimberly and Ashley as they talk about all the things they wish they knew when it came to breastfeeding as a new mom. From their personal struggles, defeats, and triumphs to the advice they have for breastfeeding moms in the office... they cover it all!
References:
- Department of Labor: Frequently Asked Questions - Break Time for Nursing Mothers
- Safety of infant exposure to antidepressants and benzodiazepines through breastfeeding
A lot has transpired in the past week. As Biden presents his Build Back Better Bill to Congress, there have been a lot of negotiations about what can remain in the bill and what should be removed. As of 72 hours ago (just after we recorded this episode), Paid Family Leave was removed from the bill.
BUT!!!!
This isn’t over.
Here’s how YOU can step in, take control, and get this back in the bill:
-
Email Congress! Enter your information - based on your zip code, it will automatically send a letter regarding your support for paid leave directly to your state representative. It takes less than 2 minutes.
-
Share your maternity leave stories. The nitty gritty - the stuff that will make these Senators squirm. Time to gross out some old men (43 to be exact, with an average age of 64) and make them feel super uncomfortable while reminding the 8 women who clearly forgot… Tag us and/or @paidleaveus
-
Tag #savepaidleave on social media so Washington understands how important this is to each and every person out there.
-
Join the Rally in Washington, DC with Senator Gillibrand this Tuesday, November 2. More info here.
References:
- PL+US
- The Hill
- The World Has 'Found a Way to Do This' : The U.S. Lags on Paid Leave
According to an article in Mother.ly, "You’re not imagining it: Mothers need friendships to thrive- Department of Psychology at Michigan State University conducted a study involving 270,000 people found that friendships were as important—if not more so—to our overall well being as our relationships with our spouses and family. The same researcher also looked into whether the quality of those friendships mattered—it does. People who had strong friendships reported being happier, while people without quality friendships reported more chronic illness."
Join us as we pick each other's brains about meeting new people and developing friendships:
How they make friends...
How they maintain friendships...
Their struggles making friends as working moms...
What they look for in a friend...
Their anxieties about meeting new people and also, on the flip side, running into old friends...
References:
- Women With More Social Connections Have Better Survival
- Associations Among Relational Values, Support, Health, and Well-Being Across the Adult Lifespan
The largest study on women in Corporate America was released last month by McKinsey & Co and LeanIn.Org - Ashley and Kimberly are here to give you the highlights of this 63 page document.
"A year and a half into the COVID-19 pandemic, women have made important gains in representation, and especially in senior leadership. But the pandemic continues to take a toll. Women are now significantly more burned out—and increasingly more so than men.
Despite this added stress and exhaustion, women are rising to the moment as stronger leaders and taking on the extra work that comes with this: compared to men at the same level, women are doing more to support their teams and advance diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. They are also more likely than men to practice allyship. Yet this critical work is going unrecognized and unrewarded by most companies, and that has concerning implications. Companies risk losing the very leaders they need right now, and it’s hard to imagine organizations navigating the pandemic and building inclusive workplaces if this work isn’t truly prioritized."
Reference:
- Women In The Workplace 2021
Kimberly and Ashley talk about being overstimulated in motherhood. Between the noises and the touching - we often find ourselves in sensory overload... and it seems to have worsened in motherhood. Why is this?
We talk about the aspects of sensory overload that bother us most, how we cope, and the reasons behind our heightened responses.
References:
- 5 Ways to Cure Stimulation Overload as a Parent
- Who Are "Highly Sensitive People?"
Kimberly talks about a candid experience she encountered with her daughter as she troubleshot ruling out COVID so her daughter could return to school. The "strategy" amongst doctors and parents alike takes practice and we're just at the beginning of cold and flu season. Ashley brings in her medical expertise to break it down so you have all the information and resources moving forward. All the while, Kimberly keeps it cool so Ashley doesn't geek out too much and miss the point of the conversation!
What tests exist? Which are the most accurate? Which are the most sensitive? How about those at-home tests? We answer all of these questions and more.
References:
- COVID-19 Testing Guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics
- Which COVID Test Should You Use?
- COVID-19 and PCR Testing
Kimberly and Ashley discuss the mental struggle of working from home. Isn't this what we wanted?! Kids in school and we can focus, but we're feeling lonely. Join us as we unpack the reasons why you may still be feeling unsettled. Did you know that "even when controlled for age, stay-at-home moms were still emotionally worse off than employed moms[?] They were less likely to describe themselves as thriving or to say they smiled a lot or laughed a lot yesterday."
It's time to break down our thoughts on these intense feelings.
Resources:
- Why Stay at Home Moms Feel So Sad
- Why I Still Love the Office
- Remote Working: Why Some People are More Productive At Home Than Others
In this week's episode, it's like you're literally sitting in Ashley's house as the natural chaos of life ensues. Kids are sick, no one's napping when they're supposed to, and everyone needs her... but working moms do what they have to do and this week was Ashley's turn to be interviewed by Kimberly! As all working moms know, we sometimes have small windows to get a designated task done... and it doesn't always look pretty, but we find a way! Come join Ashley and Kimberly this week as we get to know more about Ashley and what motivates her to deliver a community to ease the stresses of working motherhood.
Working Mom Notes Mission: Our mission is to empower mothers through community and experience, enabling all to prosper as their most elite selves in both career and motherhood.
In this jam-packed episode, Ashley and Kimberly switch it up with a formal interview! It's all about the journey and as working moms, it's important to share the highs, the lows, and the pivots. Join us as we learn about Kimberly and how she made her way to CEO of Learning Motherhood.
Learning Motherhood's Mission: To create a culture that will educate and empower working parents in their personal life, family, and work place. Allowing parenthood and careers to work together by assisting employers on providing the right tools to retain their employees prior to and after the birth of a family.Visit Learning Motherhood to learn more.
Ashley and Kimberly break down their day to day routines and share what they've learned has made all the difference when navigating working parenthood. What are the must have tips that save them day to day? Join us as we talk it through!
Did you know that 1 in 3 parents don't feel informed about their children's school COVID-19 safety measures? Ashley and Kimberly spend this week reviewing some of the protocols being implemented in their own schools and around the country. They discuss their feelings about returning their children to school in person. There are a lot of unknowns as they outline their concerns, information provided by their school districts, and information provided by the Department of Education.
References:
- Back to School With No Idea What To Expect
- Survey Shows Parents Clamoring for In-Person Learning Despite Spike in COVID-19 Cases
- Will Students Come Back? A July 2021 Parent Survey About School Hesitancy and Parental Preferences for COVID-19 Safety Practices in Schools
In the blink of an eye, we say goodbye to another summer. It can feel like a fleeing moment in time. Ashley and Kimberly break down how they prepared for summer - what vacations were planned and how they envisioned them to be versus how summer actually went. They touch on their highs and lows, moments that felt utterly exhausting versus others that help invigorate us, and what we would consider doing differently for next summer. To boot, what's in store for fall?!
It's so important to talk about our body, especially when it's constantly changing during pregnancy. Join Kimberly and Ashley as they talk about body image before, during, and after pregnancy.
References:
- Predictors of Body Image During the First Year Postpartum: A Prospective Study
- The Struggle of Postpartum Body Image
The Mind-Body Connection is so strong.
In the midst of a world pandemic and a lot of burnout, Ashley and Kimberly discuss physical and mental health and how interconnected they are. When we're mentally tired, we don't have the same motivation to get physically fit. Similarly, when we are not feeling physically optimal, our mental health suffers. Recent research has found a true gut-brain axis. What happens in our gut directly effects our brain!
Ashley talks about the science behind this axis and what you can do to improve your gut-brain health while Kimberly speaks to the importance of honoring your health in the workplace with a day off.
Tip: READ YOUR COMPANY HANDBOOK. Often mental health benefits are offered, but go unspoken.
References
- Gut microbiota's effect on mental health: The gut-brain axis
- Simone Biles opens up about withdrawal from Olympic Competition: "I don't think you realize how dangerous this is."
- Naomi Osaka withdraws from the French Open
- The cost of ignoring mental health in the workplace
- Different meditation types train distinct parts of your brain
Kimberly and Ashley open up about their experiences leaving their children. Sometimes it was for work and sometimes for leisure, but no matter what leaving our babies was (and is) HARD. We talk about what worked best for us to ease the blows and minimize separation anxiety for both us and our children.
What were feelings you have had about being away for the first time?
How was your first overnight away?
Does it feel different when it's a work trip?
References:
- What to do When a Parent Has to Travel for Work
- What effect does traveling parents have on children?
Coming from recovering perfectionists, making mistakes are crushing for Kimberly and Ashley. They discuss some mistakes they've made, how they learned from those mistakes, and how they recovered from mistakes both at work and in motherhood.
Sometimes mistakes provide the greatest learning and growth opportunities for us. Even though it's hard to accept and own mistakes we've made personally and professionally, they provided the greatest tools. Join Kimberly and Ashley as they talk about how to handle and possibly even embrace mistake-making.
Resources:
- 5 Things to do when you make a mistake at work
- How to Recover From a Major Mistake at Work
- Foolproof Guide to Moving On after You Messed Up at Work
Join Kimberly and Ashley as they discuss their most and least confident moments in motherhood and career.
Maternity leave is a big unknown because rules are so different state to state - Kimberly and Ashley talk about their experiences when navigating that stage. It's so important to get connected with people who are going through the same phases of motherhood as you and we are here to talk about those phases, how we felt, and what we did about it.
Studies show that self esteem in motherhood generally decreases during pregnancy, increases for a 6 month period after childbirth, and then gradually decreases until the child reaches 3 years of age. Why do we think that is?
Self doubt, self esteem, body image, relationships... these all play a part in a mother's confidence.
References:
- ‘Nappy bags instead of handbags’: Young motherhood and self-identity
- Motherhood Is Rotten For Women's Self-Esteem. Here's How We Can Make It Better.
"The Great Resignation" is upon us! As more people around the country want more work flexibility, they have begun resigning for positions that work better with their lifestyle. However, some of these companies have prospects interviewing upwards of 10 rounds. In a viral post on LinkedIn, a software engineer wrote “Today, I pulled my name for consideration for a company I was interviewing with. It was a hard decision, as I liked the company..."
Ashley and Kimberly discuss the cost of employee turnover. How can companies retain employees, streamline their interview process, and adjust to the cultural shift we are seeing in more demand for a hybrid model?
This episode is jam-packed with stats and personal stories regarding being interviewed, being the interviewee, and also resigning from a company.
References:
- Told To Do Around 10 Interviews, A Job Seeker Pulls Out Of The Running And Shares His Frustration In A Viral LinkedIn Post
- The Cost of Replacing an Employee and the Role of Financial Wellness
- Employee Turnover Costs Are More Expensive Than You Think – Do Something About It
- What's next at work after the coronavirus pandemic
Navigating transitions as an individual, as a mother, and also managing your children's transitions can be anxiety-producing. Managing others' emotions as well as your own can be challenging. Ashley and Kimberly discuss their experiences with transitioning through different phases of life and motherhood and how they handled it.
They talk about their own experiences with
- Post partum depression and anxiety
- Return from maternity leave
- Putting our kids in day care
- Preparing for work trips and vacations
Going through the experiences can feel overwhelming but as we continue practicing difficult things, we often surprise ourselves and we actually get better each time we do it. Kimberly and Ashley are big proponents of the mom tribe - seeing a mom doing seemingly hard things like tackling the grocery store with kids deserves celebration. Giving that mom a shoutout may make all the difference in her confidence. It's all about solidarity and we're here for that support any day of the week.
Ashley and Kimberly polled the working mom community and received hundreds of responses to the question, "What do you outsource to keep your sanity?" Join us as we talk about the most commonly outsourced tasks. We also discuss the pro's, cons, and in-betweens.
"For what it’s worth, science agrees with this strategy. Researchers at Harvard Business School and the University of British Columbia found that couples who spent more money on time-saving purchases (lawn care and house cleaning, for example) felt happier about their relationship, since the purchase “protects the couple from the negative impact of relationship stress and enables them to enjoy more quality time together.” Interestingly, researchers found it was especially true for low-income couples, meaning it’s still worth the splurge, even when money is tight."
3 key questions to ask yourself to decrease guilt around outsourcing:
- Does this make your life easier?
- Can you afford it?
- Are you able to enjoy your life on a day to day basis because of it?
Resources:
- I Outsource Basically Everything, and It's the Secret to My Success as a Working Mom
- The Secret Weapon of Successful Working Moms? Outsource everything.
Summer is officially here and for working moms, the puzzle of putting together childcare with school being out is a job in itself. Summer camps seem to operate on 1/2 day increments or weekly vs. a whole summer-long 8 am to 5 pm program. The pressure to make summer fun after the last 16 months adds to the mental load of strategically mapping out vacation time and the summer calendar.
Join Ashley and Kimberly as they share their perspective of summer for working moms, what childcare looks like, and how to release expectations to simplify childcare.
References
We Didn't Enroll Our Kids in Camp This Summer. Did We Make a Mistake?
Summer Camps Are Open for 2021 - Here Are the Safety Guidelines to Know
Surviving The Transition From School to Summer
Finally things are starting to look a little bit more normal whether it is social interaction, kids back in school, and or you're back in the office. But, something just doesn’t seem right. The things that brought the same level of joy pre-pandemic seem not to be filling our cup the way we thought it would.
The reality is we were drowning and now we are officially coming up for air but our legs are tired. How are Ashley and Kimberly handling the pandemic restrictions being uplifted and how they feel about transitioning back into "normal" life?
If you are burned out, we give you some stats that validate exactly how you feel.
References:
- Validate Your Fatigued Workforce
- Steps to Take When You're Starting to Feel Burned Out
Dads are an integral part of the discussion when it comes to the advancement of mothers in the workplace.
Traditional gender roles are not as common as our parents' generations and making that push to have a household that has the responsibilities split 50/50 is a topic of discussion in many homes.
Join Ashley and Kimberly as they discuss their thoughts on paternity leave, household responsibility breakdowns, and traditional gender roles.
References:
- Providing Care Changes Men
- Stop Giving Working Moms Advice, What About Working Dads?
This has been a hot topic as mothers re-enter the workforce. Will adding motherhood work to a woman's advantage if it is included on the resume? Ashley and Kimberly discuss what we have learned and how to build a future that will change the landscape where professional and personal worlds may overlap more than ever.
The value of the work done inside the home has become very visible. Several companies are supporting the push to encourage women back into the workforce. There is an immense skillset gained as a mother and many feel that these should be highlighted and used to our advantage when applying for jobs. Kimberly and Ashley review the statistics behind how women feel about adding motherhood to their resume versus how employers perceive it in an interview.
References:
- Why can't I list parenting on my resume?
- Working moms face employment bias. Combat it head-on by putting 'mother' on your résumé.
- Providing Care Changes Men
Beyond seeing history repeat itself time and time again, people advocating for the quality and affordability of childcare has been occurring since the early 1900's.
Instead of childcare, the idea of mother pensions came about so that women could stay at home with their children. It quickly gained popular support because it did nothing to challenge traditional gender roles. By the 1930's, every state in the union passed some level of a mother pension law, but by doing this, childcare was pushed further into the shadows. However, most mothers found themselves ineligible for pensions and had no choice but to find work and some form of care for their children.
The Children's Bureau worked to strengthen mothers' pensions instead of shifting the focus to childcare. At the urging of prominent early childhood educators, programs were established called emergency nursery schools (ENS) because more women were being recruited to do defense-work due to WWII. Nonetheless, several thousands of these schools closed down because teachers left for better paying jobs. As ENS's closed, women had no choice but to leave their children alone at home or allow them to sleep in cars while they worked night shifts. The media capitalized on these situations and reported "selfish-wage earning mothers" and "children in group care may suffer the effects of maternal deprivation."
By 1946, the Maternal and Child Welfare Act was proposed and not passed. It would have allowed the continuing of federal funding for daycares. Instead, the government allotted a Child Tax Deduction. No government administration has been able to push through a universal childcare policy.
In the 1980's, for-profit childcares began to emerge as more women began to re-enter the workforce, however there were issues with quality and affordability. This is the underlying theme to this day.
So, what does good childcare reform look like?
Employing teachers who have knowledge in early childhood education and seeing education and care as a necessary combination is essential. Care providers are early educators.
Even if policies are passed on a federal level, each state can take that legislation and alter it accordingly, which excludes specific socioeconomic classes and limits the ability for it to truly be universal. It also perpetuates the achievement gaps between people from high and low income families.
Ashley and Kimberly have an extensive discussion on where we go from here, including an overview of the American Families Plan proposed by the Biden administration. They review the facts from a bipartisan perspective with bipartisan resources.
Resources:
- The History of Child Care in the U.S. by Sonya Michel, Ph.D.
- What does good child care reform look like? By Elise Gould, Lea J.E. Austin, and Marcy Whitebook
- Childcare Aware
- Fact Sheet: The American Families Plan
Imposter syndrome disproportionately impacts high achieving people. The more accomplished you are, the less deserving you often feel. Why?
Ashley and Kimberly deconstruct the workplace and review why we don't see as many female leaders. Furthermore, becoming a mother can impact feelings of belonging.
Anywhere in the world, men tend to think they're smarter than women. However, arrogance and over-confidence is inversely related to leadership talent. Confidence does not equal competence.
Sometimes we get these feelings in the office, but other times it surrounds motherhood. Overcoming imposter syndrome is possible. Ashley and Kimberly talk about times they've felt like an imposter and how they moved forward and how you can, too.
References:
- Stop Telling Women They Have Imposter Syndrome, by Ruchika Tulshyan and Jodi-Ann Burey
- Imposter Syndrome Is On The Rise: How To Stop Feeling Like A Fraud And Own Your Success (You Earnt It)By Dr. Margie Warrell
- The hidden upside of imposter syndromeBy Peter Rubinstein
Are you ready to hang up your WFH status and head back to the office?
People are having a lot of feelings and opinions regarding our ability to work from home versus a need to return to the office. Ashley and Kimberly review the pro's and con's of getting back into the office and some research behind the advantages and disadvantages of both options.
What policy shifts would make sense in this new normal? Ashley and Kimberly researched what changes have been made in the medical industry to support employees through the pandemic and how Corporate America can follow their lead.
Although we are getting things under control here in the U.S., we want to send our hearts out to India. Via Susanna Barkataki:
"Right now India is experiencing an exponential and devastating COVID 19 surge. [Provided here] are some organizations that do work on the ground with those most impacted. This is an open source list created with resources from Indians in India and in the diaspora with the intention of getting as much aid to India as possible so please share."
References:
- Does Going Back to the Office Freak You Out? By Amy Silver
- COVID-19: a heavy toll on health-care workersThe Lancet
- Caring for our caregivers during COVID-19 The American Medical Association
- India COVID-19 Relief Organizations
What does the division of mental labor look like in your home? Ashley and Kimberly discuss how that breakdown works (sometimes) in their homes while also voicing some frustrations.
There are 4 parts to the mental load:
- Anticipate
- Identify
- Decision
- Monitor
No wonder we're so tired! Beyond making a decision, we are juggling the timing of executing that decision. We're all very tired and the mental load leads to decision fatigue. How do we lighten this invisible burden? Ashley and Kimberly dive into expert suggestions including the Fair Play card game created by Eve Rodsky.
Referenced Articles:
- A Modest Proposal for Equalizing the Mental Load by Jess Gross
- Why Women Do the Household Worrying by Jess Gross
- Fair Play by Eve Rodsky
Stressors come in many different forms. Believe it or not, stress can be good for us! Stress can increase our ability to perform in high-pressure situations. However, there is a threshold but, what is it?
Ashley and Kimberly discuss some of the physiology behind what happens to our bodies when we're stressed out and ways to identify different types of stressors. Not to mention, some of the techniques we personally use to decrease stress and anxiety.
We also discuss articles supporting changes in company policy and what companies can do to support their employees.
Kimberly and Ashley launched the initiative, #SHESHARESHERSTORY. They are amplifying the voices of all women and their experiences over the past year. Kimberly and Ashley have partnered with over 20 female-owned companies (and counting!) to help aid women back into the workforce, on their terms.
We are creating a world where women can be mothers and employees in a more flexible way while providing companies an opportunity to hire diversity and inclusion support. We vetted resources who are on board to help promote change for women.
- Childcare
- Hiring Support
- Employer Support to minimize hiring and retainment bias
Tell us how your employment was affected due to the pandemic here or on any social media platform using the hashtag #shesharesherstory. Finding a job that works for you is a full-time job in and of itself. We are here to support that search and redefine what it means to be a woman in the workplace.
Ashley and Kimberly look into companies who have chosen to work less hours in a day and less days a week. We were surprised to dive into the history of why we even have 5-day work weeks and why many thought-leaders feel it's time for a change.
We debate how the days and hours could be structured and what we feel would work best for working mothers and their families.
We are also honored to share a new initiative that launched yesterday: #SheSharesHerStory
Kimberly and Ashley are upset and frustrated not only by the number of women who have been forced to leave their jobs, but also by the lack of action to aid working women back into the workforce more equitably. Although action has been taken on government levels, we need to provide support on the ground and we want to highlight their services. Working moms need 3 types of resources to succeed as a working parent: reliable childcare, hiring support, and employers minimizing hiring and retainment bias.
We reached out to some of the best female-led companies who educate and support working mothers and their employers. There are 18 companies who have agreed to partner with our campaign (and counting!). The campaign is called “She Shares Her Story.”
We are encouraging a call to action:
- Tell us on social media how your employment was affected due to the pandemic - feel free to use the downloadable graphics on our website!
- Review and Redeem any of the offers (no limit)!
- Tag us and the company whose resource(s) you choose to utilize!!
We want to hear your story!
It’s all about mindset and motherhood has a beautiful way of allowing your mind to prioritize more effectively. Something that may have been a “yes” in the past may not be the case anymore. Similarly, that could come with a lot of feelings. Join Kimberly and Ashley as they discuss what it was like becoming working moms for the first time compared to subsequent pregnancies. It gets intense. They talk about some blatantly inappropriate comments from coworkers. They also discuss the beauty in moving forward with purpose.
When the lines get blurred between your career and sense of self it is called enmeshment.
Raises, promotions, long hours worked - we spend so much time honing our skills; we may lose a piece of ourselves and who we are outside of the office. When we become mothers, our sense of identity becomes more complex.
What happens when your career becomes your identity? Kimberly and Ashley discuss work culture, confronting coworkers, what happens to your identity when you lose or leave your career and steps we can take to feel more ourselves.
Medical News Today says that we should "think of our decision making ability as a finite source, such as a battery. Each decision reduces the charge, such as a battery. Each decision reduces the charge of the battery, and the person has less energy available to make other decisions later on."
Career mothers face millions of decisions each day, which has now been exacerbated to a greater extent during the pandemic. Kimberly and Ashley talk through some of their tough decisions and how they combat analysis paralysis. The good news is, studies have shown that we can reverse decision fatigue.
Join us as we talk through these concepts.
How has the pandemic effected our relationships?
Some bonds have strengthened while others have weakened - This is a true transitory period for relationships for reasons such as:
- Work Pressures
- Establishing Relationships Virtually
- Home Pressures
- Relationship Foundations
- The Need for Connection
The pandemic has brought on a need to be creative in order to foster relationships; Kimberly and Ashley share their stories and struggles with friendships, coworkers, family, and most importantly: our partners.
How can we strengthen our relationships during such a unique time?
The art of being loyal: a strong feeling of support or allegiance. When and why do allegiances shift? Kimberly and Ashley have a healthy debate around this topic: us being loyal to organizations versus organizations being loyal to us.
What factors play into how much loyalty you put into a company?
Does moving from job to job mean you're disloyal?
"Employees are more loyal than you think" from the Harvard Business Review:
"The increasing propensity of women to stick with their employer is the key factor driving the increase in overall tenure on the labor market."
If this is the case, the pandemic took away some of the country's most loyal employees and now we must rebuild.
How about feeling loyal to a company but not your coworkers?
Does team building really work?
Join us as we discuss the ladder of loyalty.
Does it work to your professional advantage to be your most authentic self in the workplace? Ashley and Kimberly discuss what it means to be authentic and their experiences in their own professions.
Success often depends on conforming, however it creates increased stress for employees. Ashley and Kimberly talk about their feelings on authenticity, as women and mothers: there is a distinct transition for women when they become mothers. The employee they may have been prior to maternity leave becomes a more complex employee upon return. Many companies aren't prepared to handle these transitions and it leaves new mothers wrestling with how authentic they can truly be at work.
What price are we paying and what are we gaining by checking our authenticity at the door in exchange for conforming to company culture?
How can we opt in to the workforce while also being the primary caregivers and household managers? 1 in 3 employed mothers are considering dialing back or quitting their jobs because of this lack of flexibility. Join Ashley and Kimberly as they delve into the staggering numbers of women opting out of the workforce and what they think about it.
There is a microscope on working women and these issues are being brought to the forefront of the conversation amongst policymakers and legislators. Ashley and Kimberly further discuss the changes in work/life routines that will hopefully stick around versus the ones they hope to stop enduring after COVID.
As always, don't miss out on hearing how motherhood and career collided this week!
Ashley and Kimberly discuss thoughts on what 2020 has meant for them navigating the pandemic with 6 kids under 6: Shedding light on what they are leaving behind and what they are bringing with them into this New Year, providing predictions for 2021, revealing words to live by this year, and how they are mentally navigating the pandemic as we approach the one year mark. Ending the discussion with how motherhood and career collided for them this week, chatting about school pick-ups and finding ways to still bring the village to life even while in a pandemic.