Reflections on The World’s Toughest Job

by Dr. Denise O'Neil Green | May 11, 2015 10:00 AM

My friend from graduate school sent me this video and I just wanted to share it with the moms and those who have mothered us along the way.

While Mother’s Day for 2015 has come and gone, my wish for all moms is that they know they are loved and appreciated 365 days of the year.  Although many workplaces in the United States and Canada can be very difficult to navigate for moms, mothering skills and talents are what make our spaces more inclusive and welcoming.

I recall that I intentionally did not talk about my children during my early days of graduate school or my early days as a pre-tenured professor. I felt it would have been held against me or gave others the impression I was not serious about my work. So, I kept that part of my life in the background and compartmentalized to get things done.

Now that I work and live in Canada, I have an even greater appreciation for moms and work.  Canada supports a paid one year maternity leave for mothers; I recall three month paid for my first leave and eight weeks with pay for my second.  I was lucky to be employed by organizations that provided maternity leaves with pay.  But, as we all know, the “maternity leave” is just the beginning of the motherhood journey.

As we moms get back to the daily grind of things, remember to take time and mother yourself. Let’s not wait until Mother’s Day 2016!

Cheers!

I want to hear from you:

What do you do to "mother yourself" on a regular basis?

I look forward to your responses below*, and I'd love your input.

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Source URL: https://institutionaldiversityblog.com/reflections-on-the-worlds-toughest-job/

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