As a working mom, I feel incredibly lucky that I’ve always had a strong support system in life. This includes my husband, parents, daycare teachers, babysitters, mom-friends who are at the same point in their lives as me, siblings, and co-workers. It also consists of services we’ve intentionally leaned into (e.g., grocery delivery) in exchange for time to spend on activities we enjoy.
As I progressed in my career, I realized that in order to continue to accomplish personal and professional goals, I needed to continue to leverage and grow that support system. I feel incredibly privileged to have the support I have today and recognize that many in my position are not offered the same opportunity (i.e., working women with kids five and under).
While I’ve always had a strong network to lean on, the birth of my children quickly expanded to include other people and services, which have evolved over time. I’ve also learned to tap into the benefits that my company offers — daycare, Flex Work — as well as outsourcing services like grocery delivery. I’ve also learned the importance of advocacy, especially for the non-negotiable aspects of life like quality child care. Having support from people in my life gives me the ability to continue to be a working mom in America with a fulfilling career, and in an ideal world, this would be afforded to every working parent across the globe.
As a parent, each child is different and there are always unique daily challenges, but there are a few pieces of parenting advice that come to mind. 1) Self-advocacy is important. 2) Understand the benefits that your company offers and any benefits offered at the local and state level. 3) Determine what you can afford to outsource if the trade-off for time is more important.