A Secret to Success as a Working Mom: Turn Burn Out Into Bliss and Embrace Joy

Last weekend my youngest was committed to going to the "Water Steps" a man-made water fall in Pittsburgh by the rivers. (Fun Fact: Three rivers converge in Pittsburgh--The Ohio River, The Monongahela River, and the Allegheny River.)  He kept asking. I knew he was serious when he said, "If you won't take me, I'll ask  daddy!" Given that it was highly unlikely that would happen on an unscheduled day, I relented. So, we went. It wasn’t planned in the way most things in my life are. No calendar block. No checklist. No “productive” purpose attached. And, so in some respects it was uncomfortable. And yet, it seemed necessary. It was the idea of my 8-year-old—offered with the kind of urgency only children possess when something is profoundly important to them.

Reading on the Run: White House Summit on Working Families

America has a long way to go as it relates to women’s’ rights.  Since no woman was in the room during the drafting of the constitution, it is not surprising that women are not referenced in the constitution nor is maternity leave or any other issue relating to women referenced.  Even though all of the founding fathers had mothers, it was as if women did not even exist.  I take that back, they did specifically remember to restrict voting to only white men. That could be a post unto itself…

The United States Fails Working Families, but there is Hope


I have criticized our president for flip flopping on his support of working mothers. Maybe he heard me because last week he made his position very clear and he gave us hope. As you may have heard, this past week, the White House conducted the first White House Working Families Summit and issues related to mothers were front and center. 
As a mom, I am deeply passionate about having this country create a national maternity leave policy.  It was encouraging to hear that my president is too.  I plan to work tirelessly to make this a reality.  In my opinion this is the most important middle class domestic issue of our time. 

Enjoy these articles about the summit and stay tuned!

Michelle Obama Reveals The 'Worst Time' Of Her Motherhood,  Our first lady, Michele Obama took her baby to an interview because she was breastfeeding and didn’t have a sitter. We may disagree about our support of this administration, but I am glad that someone who has experienced the struggles of being a working mom is in the White House.

Obama pushes for family-friendly work policies at ‘White House Summit on Working Families’,

The celebrity-filled conference focused on efforts businesses could take — including paid maternity leave — to make their work environments more amenable to work-life balance and working women.

White House Moves To Overhaul Policies For Working Parents, Article discusses the challenges of being a working parent in the United States, thanks to a lack of policies guaranteeing flexibility, paid leave and affordable childcare and discusses the benefits that exist in other countries.

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