Owning My Worth as a Future Working Mom!
I’m celebrating! I’m about to become a Mom! While this is a very exciting time in my life, it’s also a time of uncertainty. So many changes are on the horizon and it’s yet another leap into the unknown. As a business owner, the pressure I put on myself (and feel from society) to have this “working mom” thing all figured out – before the baby’s arrival – is real. I know many women in corporate feel the same way.
When a baby enters the world it is often assumed that women will drop their careers and goals to take care of their children. Society is still predominantly putting pressure on women to figure out the balance of childcare and career without much support. Women are facing fears and potential consequences in taking time out of work and silently navigating a very challenging time in their life, which ultimately impacts families and businesses alike. It’s time for this gender bias to come to an end because it’s not helpful.
More and more women have taken the role as the ‘breadwinner’ of their family and women fear that announcing their pregnancy news to their bosses will stop them from getting offered opportunities – or worse – getting fired from their jobs.
Working and non-working Moms are still facing judgement, pushback, and bias for their career decisions today.
In the US, we are so far behind on offering paid parental leave and supportive environments at work that help parents (both men and women) transition during this major life change.
The US is one of only three countries in the world not to offer statutory paid maternity leave. The others are the Marshall Islands and Papua New Guinea.
Women are still paying the price for choosing to have children – the pay gap widens for her once becoming a Mom.
One recent study found that fathers receive a 6 percent increase in pay for every child, while mothers lose 4 percent in their wages for every child.
I can’t help but ignore the fact that Mom’s are a segment of our population that all too often face hurdles, bias, and fears that are unique to our situations.
While I am still yet to become a mother with a baby on the outside, I’ve been considering how this event will shift my life and career, and how do I “figure it all out”?
The truth is, I don’t yet know “how” I’ll figure it out, but I know I will.
I am committed to taking the time I need to learn how to own my worth as a working Mom.
I invite you to join me and others who are forging a path ahead like Audrey Gelman, Sara Blakely, Michelle Obama and Sallie Krawcheck. These women are all worthy Moms, making a huge impact, earning great money, and modeling what’s possible for women in business and at home.
I believe we must give ourselves permission to advocate for our needs at work and at home.
As I celebrate my own journey into motherhood, I also celebrate you. If you consider yourself a working Mom, a manger of someone with children, a Mom to-be, a stay at home or part-time working Mom, or someone who is considering whether or not motherhood is for you at all, you’re invited.
You are invited to join myself and worthy Moms in a supportive Own Your Worth Slack channel specifically designed to discuss and support the topic of working moms, in all forms.