Working Mothers Share Unfiltered Stories of Balancing Life and Staying Afloat
“70% of mothers with children under 18 participate in the labor force, with over 75% employed full-time. Mothers are the primary or sole earners for 40% of households with children under 18 today, compared with 11 percent in 1960” – DoL 2017
We have come a long way since 1960. While much progress has been made with establishing legislations and policies governing the retainability of mothers in the workplace by instituting processes such as lactation rooms and longer maternity leaves, we cannot stop until every mother who wants to work is able to continue her career after childbirth without having to choose between working and starting a family.
The 2017 statistics below from the Department of Labor proves that women are integral in today’s workforce. Employers and society as a whole are missing out if women are unable to return to work after childbirth.
- There are 6 million women in the civilian labor force.
- Almost 47 percent of U.S. workers are women.
- More than 39 percent of women work in occupations where women make up at least three-quarters of the workforce.
- Women own close to 10 million businesses, accounting for $1.4 trillion in receipts.
- Female veterans tend to continue their service in the labor force: About 3 out of 10 serve their country as government workers.
Recently, I meet with three mazing working mothers for a “Mummy and Me” photoshoot. We had fun and shared many laughs celebrating motherhood. We also spent a great deal chasing our precious little ones around the studio and burning calories as we do on most days. The kids were the real MVPs.
These women are wives, teachers, beauty experts, women in the military, healthcare professionals and much more. We all share in the bond of motherhood and women who make up 47% of the U.S. workforce. While each woman’s experience is different, it is unquestionable that we share similar struggles as working mothers. Our hearts bleed when we leave our babies behind for work. For me, dropping off my girls at daycare in the mornings still remains the least favorite part of my day. And of course you guessed right if you said picking them up is the best part of my day. The heart melting smiles my girls radiate at the sight of mummy makes every imperfect part of my day perfect. As working mothers, attaining Work-life balance and living our best is something we all strive for.
I later met with three of these working mothers for an exclusive feature discussing their careers and the big question: “What does work-life balance mean to you and your family?” Continue reading as these women don their crown and cape and share their unfiltered stories of work-life balance and staying afloat.
Meet Jamie Johnson, Working Mother of 1
Dover DE
Jamie is the Sustainment Services Flight Commander (and acting Operations Officer) for the Force Support Squadron, Dover Air Force Base.
Linda: What does it mean to be the Sustainment Services Flight Commander/ Operations Officer?
Jamie: My Flight Command job has me running operations for Dover Air Force base’s dining facility, lodging, fitness center, and official mail center. I manage a $25M operation with 24 hour operations of food, fitness and lodging. At the dining facility we provide healthy meal options to any person with base access and it is at no expense to our dorm residence. At the fitness center we run fitness programs aimed to maintain a healthy and fit-to-fight force. The lodging operation’s number one priority is providing a comfortable and industry-standard transient overnight stay, with a secondary priority of lodging personnel who have base access. The official mail center accepts and distributes all official mail for the 52 units on base.
As the acting Operations Officer, I am the second highest ranking officer in the squadron. The squadron mission is diverse but covers all aspects of airmen and family functions, from the literal cradle to grave. I have a specific mission of readiness and training; however, I am the point of contact for any and all leadership interventions before the problems are escalated to the commander.
Me: What does work-life balance mean for you and your family?
Jamie: This is a particularly hard question. My dad raised me to “live to play.” His first and only goal in life was to find adventures and take them head on. He just needed money to make the adventures viable so work was squeezed in between all the adventures. However, when I grew up I threw the scale the other way by consuming my life with my work. It is very easy to do that in the military. And it became very rewarding to do so because I excelled. Hands down, the coolest thing about me was my military service. However it became time to start a family and my world got turned upside down. My son is now my priority and the investment in time and energy I spend on him will show tenfold when he succeeds in life. I no longer find myself staying late at work. I do not take the weight of work home with me. I make time in the day to pump and feed him (I am a breastfeeding mom) and more often than not, I find myself talking about him knowing his love and milestones are way cooler than the successes I used to brag about.
I am not perfect at work and home-life balance, but I continuously strive for ways to keep my professional life and love my mommy-hood.
Meet Jaime Garcia, Working Mother of 3
Milford, DE
Jaime is a Speech Language Pathologist and Transformational Beauty Founding Consultant
Me: Can you share with our audience your role as a Speech Language Pathologist and also tell us about your Beauty Consulting business?
Jaime: I work as a fulltime Speech Language Pathologist for the Cape Henlopen School District. There I work with children in kindergarten through 8th grade targeting articulation, language, and stuttering. I also work as a Transformational Beauty Consultant. We offer premium skincare for all ages and skin types. Our skin care is both preventative and anti-aging!
Me: What does work-life balance mean for you and your family?
Jaime: Being a mom in general requires a lot of balance, but being a working mom adds another dimension. We all want to be successful at work and do our best, but not at the expense of being a good mom! To find the balance, it’s necessary to set boundaries like work and play hours. My kid’s needs come first, especially when I’m home, but I also want them to see me working hard to be successful in my non-Mom life. Balance looks different for everyone and sometimes you need to experiment with those boundaries to see what is best for you and your family!
Connect with Jaime and learn more about the skincare products her business offers
Facebook link: http://www.facebook.com/sprinkledchaos
Instagram Link: @SprinkledChaos
Meet Daisha Sullivan, Working Mother of 2
Dover, DE
Daisha is the Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge (NCOIC) at the Commander’s Support Staff for Dover Air Force Base.
Me: As an NCOIC, I know you stay busy. What can you share with us about all you do?
Daisha: As an NCOIC, I am the first line of leadership for my flight’s personnel and operations. However, in addition to being a full time Active Duty Air Force member, I wear many hats. I am a Mother, a Wife, and a part time Student pursuing a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Health Science.
Me: What does work-life balance mean for you and your family?
Daisha: Work- life balance is essential for my sanity. I am the type of person that needs to do a lot in order to feel accomplished. Doing the same thing day in and day out is depressing to me. I have to have change in my day-to-day life. Change keeps me on my toes and I love that! I feel blessed to be able to wear and navigate so many hats and love them all. It is true what they say if you love what you do it really doesn’t seem like work. My secret sauce to attaining work-life balance is “Love what you do and do what your love.”
Connect with Daisha
Facebook name: Daisha Sullivan
Instagram name: _ladydai_
As working mothers, we have more in common than differences. Thanks to Jamie, Jaime and Daisha for sharing. If you will like to share your story and business email Memoirs@Lindaarrey.com and Memoirsofaworkingmother@gmail.com
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