Current Musings - 3.21
Thoughts on motherhood
This week I went to the Working Mothers Summit1 hosted by the Boston Globe. I had wanted to go last year but didn’t get my act together in time, so when a friend suggested it, I jumped. If this continues to be an annual event, I will absolutely be back.
As a mom in a room full of moms, there is always common ground. It was so nice to meet new women, chat over lunch, and listen to some inspiring conversations.
Here are my takeaways:
Moms are lonely Dr. Aditi Nerurkar spoke on stress and mental health, and cited that 1 in 5 moms is lonely, and I’ve certainly felt that at different points. Joanna Lydgate, the First Lady of Massachusetts, shared that what’s getting her through is community, comedy, and escape. Community has been the most important thing for me as a mom, from moms groups with my first and second kids, to hosting my own (thanks to NAPS), to group texts and WhatsApps. Building and finding your people is hard sometimes, but it’s always worth it.
Laughing always helps Joanna Lydgate shared that comedy and authoritarianism exist in a state of fundamental opposition, where laughter serves as a tool to subvert, de-escalate, and challenge the absolute power that authoritarians seek to maintain. There’s a lot of bad stuff going on in the world around us these days, but being able to laugh and find humor in even the bleakest of moments helps.
Burnout does not mean you’re not resilient I don’t know why I needed to hear this, but when Dr. Aditi Nerurkar said it, it hit hard. Resilience is protective, but not preventative, when it comes to burnout. I’ve been burnt out before, and felt like I’d failed, but from this lens, burnout isn’t personal failure or not being resilient enough, it’s about reaching a limit. I’ll try to remind myself of this in the future.
Don’t be afraid to show your dimensions Joanna Lydgate talked about how she used to be afraid to show her kids that she had a life beyond them — and then realized how important it actually was for them to see that. Cady Coleman echoed this, sharing that “you can have different dimensions.” She made it her mission to ensure that being a mother didn’t get in the way of being an astronaut, and being an astronaut didn’t get in the way of being a mother. I think of this often as a mom with many interests, from my real work to the podcast, moms groups, and Pepper Books. I’m multi-passionate, and my kids see all angles. I want them to know you can be many things.
Not every interaction is an opportunity to f*ck your kid up I was so excited to hear Emily Oster speak, and this one really landed. There is so much information thrown at us as parents, and she reassured us that not every interaction with our kids is a chance to mess them up. As a mom who may, sometimes, occasionally, lose her sh*t — this was exactly what I needed to hear
Taking the day off to attend the conference was a commitment, but one I will happily do again. To the point above about connection, taking the time to be in community with other moms is always worth it in my book! I even got to meet a few listeners and connect with a few past guests.
What’s For Dinner:
Sunday - Pasta with Vodka Sauce and Chicken Cutlets (but baked them instead of frying)
Monday - Burger Bowls
Tuesday - Sesame Chicken Skillet
Wednesday - Beef Tacos / Chalupas
Thursday - Out
Friday - Out
Saturday - Pizza and pasta chaos dinner
More A Day In Her Life:
This week - This week I had a great conversation with Adriana Mastronardi. Adriana is a math teacher, midlife fitness coach, and mom of three! I really enjoyed our conversation about aging and becoming our strongest selves. Thanks, Adriana!
One Year Ago -
Two Years Ago -
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I know the term “working mother” can stir up feelings since all mothers work, but the content of the day was definitely applicable to all moms.