Care.com’s Post

Even before Betsy Grunch had kids, she knew she wouldn't be a stay-at-home mom. Grunch is a neurosurgeon working 50-60 hour weeks. Her job is mentally and physically demanding, and she isn't always home in time for dinner. She explained that she and her husband, a stay-at-home dad, work together to meet their children's needs, but that doesn't stop her from feeling mom guilt at times. My latest first-person story for Business Insider If you have a story about being a working parent with a demanding job, or about being a stay-at-home parent, that you'd like to share with Business Insider, please feel free to reach out to me: [email protected] https://lnkd.in/eaN-GzV4

Shout out to all the working moms/dads who are willing to be open about their parenting responsibilities and lives! This evening, I returned a phone call at 4:30CT/5:30ET and she did not answer, but returned my call an hour later apologizing that they were having dinner and she was chasing around a toddler. I told her I understood as I had 2 kids running around and a third on my hip while my husband is traveling for his job. The purpose of the call was to discuss when we can hold a somewhat urgent meeting that needed to be rescheduled due to another mom who had to work a night shift in the ED and take care of getting her kids to school in the morning. It was so refreshing to hear other moms from this healthcare organization openly discuss their mom duties instead of being vague about their conflicts or what they were doing. While I don’t hide my parenting responsibilities from my coworkers, I’m often vague with clients about any potential conflicts due to my family’s needs. It was great to have open, honest conversations with these women about being a mom and knowing they’ve cultivated a culture, similar to our company’s culture, where it’s not frowned upon to disclose or talk about being a parent and what comes along with that. Cheers to transparent and supportive cultures! #parenting #motherhood #workingparents #workingmoms #positiveculture

Do you consider being a stay at home parent work 🤔 ? I connected with an old friend recently. In catching up, s/he asked where I was in my career. I told this person that, over the past year, I had been home with our 1 year old and was taking a break from the field. S/he replied, “That sounds like a dream. I’m so happy for you!” While I appreciate the kindness of this person, whose opinion I respect and value, and while I recognize that in no way was the comment ill intentioned or offensive, I do feel an obligation to highlight the decision to take time away is not always out of a desire to be a stay at home parent. Cost of a nanny or daycare, current job flexibility / territory landscape and travel needs of both parents, a team at work (or lack thereof), family nearby (or not), sick care/sick days (and boy do babies AND the primary caregiver get sick) — all of these and more must be considered by working parents when deciding how to proceed with their new baby. Ultimately the decision for me to stay home was not because I wanted a break; it has been anything but. Rather, it was a need for my family based upon the calculations we made regarding the aforementioned items. I feel fortunate to have gotten this time with our little one, but it has been difficult to press pause on my career. However, when the time is right, and a few other stars align, I will eagerly re-enter the workforce. #newmom #careerbreak #stayathomemom Career Returners (previously Women Returners) MomProject.org Motherly®

Last week I facilitated a panel webinar for a client who is walking the talk on embracing care and the need to talk about care and allow for caring needs at work supported by flexible work solutions and offers such as counseling. During the webinar, three people shared their stories about caring for family members, especially aging parents, and were incredibly vulnerable about how this affected their lives and their mental and physical and financial health. I showed the slide below in the webinar because I want to move the narrative about care away from only parenthood (even though this is still what most carers spend time on) to a more open definition of caring that can include other family members, oneself, the environment or society, pets, etc. Even us non-parents can relate to this need for flexibility and to have honest conversations at work about what else is going on in life. So what can you do? Identify what caring means to you and where your own priorities are Identify how this impacts your work and life choices Have courageous conversations with your partner, colleagues, and leaders What do you care about and does your employer enable an open conversation about this? #CaringAndCareer #InclusionMatters #Switzerland

Balancing a busy career doesn't mean sacrificing time with your child! Systems are in place to ensure healthy situations where kids get quality time with both parents. In custody, "overnights" have a different impact, so night shifters, share your work schedule with your lawyer for better parenting plans that fit your life and serve your child’s best interests. #custody #chicagolaw #coparenting #chicagolawyer #familylaw #ParentingWithACareer #CustodyInsights #WorkLifeBalance

Moving your senior parent to assisted living is a major change that might not be so easy, especially over the first few days and weeks. So it’s important to be around your loved one and offer much-needed encouragement, positive reassurance, and support to help them adjust to the new lifestyle. Here are a few effective tips that can help ease the transition for your senior parent as they move to assisted living. #1stMeridian #Homecare #AssistedLiving

Yesterday was National Son and Daughter Day! At Next Great Step, we know first-hand just how much parents are rooting for their kids to succeed in the workforce. However, today's a day to take a break from all the stress and spend some quality time together. From our Next Great Step family to yours, enjoy the day! #NationalSonsandDaughtersDay #JobSearch #CareerAdvice #BePrepared #ResearchTheCompany #InterviewMistakes #JobInterview #StayFocused #CareerSuccess #ProfessionalDevelopment #JobHunting

Today, I reflect on the meaning of Mother's Day. As a working woman and a proud working mom, I understand the challenges of juggling a career and motherhood. The journey to motherhood can be difficult, and it's not always conventional. I remember the logistics of privately scheduling specialist appointments around work commitments and dealing with heartbreak of the process whilst still turning up to give 100% to my career. I had the support of my manager, who reminded me that becoming a mum doesn't mean your career stops - these words came the day I told them I was pregnant. A day emotion and fear overtook me as I worried what that meant professionally for me given I had recently been promoted and the journey to parenthood took a different road to what I initially thought. Fast forward 11 years, and the juggle of work and being mum has been real. The mental load of primary caregiving can be exhausting, and having a supportive team with leadership that prioritises family is crucial. I share this in hopes that it brings confidence to anyone going through personal struggles. There is a lot of pressure and stigma with working mums - some self inflicted and others where situations can be easily misunderstood. Feeling safe and supported by your workplace when venturing on such a journey can certainly make the journey feel a little lighter. To my fellow working mothers, mother figures, soon-to-be moms, and those who support the careers of mothers - thank you! #MothersDay2024 #MumsWhoWork #WorkLifeBalance #CareerProgression

Parents or prospective parents expecting a new arrival face unique challenges that businesses must address. Our latest article provides insights on supporting expecting parents and creating a culture of inclusivity. How organisations can help support parents in the workplace | BPE Search | BPE Search | Executive search done differently (link in comments) #ExpectingParents #InclusiveCulture #EmployeeSupport #Chief