Because when a big, national magazine relaunches its website, of course it puts Katherine Brennecke on the home page! #soproud
Check out the full article all work-from-home parents should read on Working Mother.com.
Tag Archives: working mom
Lights, camera, action!
Mathews Group members Emily Pappas and Tia Over recently filmed a video for their Linfield College alumni office. Listen to them talk about their experience of being in front of the camera instead of behind it and what they appreciate most about their liberal arts education.
History-making case heads to the Supreme Court
We are proud to spotlight our Creative Director Katie Kelty and share her experience in a panel discussion alongside one of the lawyers and two plaintiffs in the Kentucky same sex marriage case that is heading to the Supreme Court in May.
Here’s a quick Q&A with Katie.
Q: Who hosted the panel?
A: The panel was hosted by Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky, and addressed both the students and faculty. Since this has been an important topic in the local and national news, we felt this would be a timely conversation to have on campus.
Q: What kind of topics came out of the panel discussion?
A: The topics were broad and ranged from the status of the marriage equality movement to the evolution of the nuclear/traditional family to what’s next for civil rights in the United States. The definition of a nuclear family, as defined by Webster is: “the part of a family that includes only the father, mother, and children.” However, in 2015 this model has taken on a much different shape.
All four of the panelists have families that fall outside of this definition. Two moms, two dads, and a single mom were all represented and were able to attest to their experiences as a family with only one gender present. I was asked about how I would respond to the assumption that my child will be without a male influence in his life, and I chuckled because having a household that is without a male figure is not something new to me and having a household with two strong female role models is also not new. There will be equally strong men in our child’s life; we don’t live in a vacuum.
The other panelists explained how the involvement of birthmothers, neighbors and church allows their children to see a variety of family structures. All the panelists agreed that it is more important for children to see healthy relationships and families than anything else. The form that family takes is secondary.
Q: Why was it important that you participate?
A: It is important for me to be involved because if you are not willing to advocate for your own rights, you cannot expect others to take up your cause. I don’t try to represent all lesbians or nontraditional families because I am an individual, not a movement. That is the focus for me during these conversations. To emphasize that I am, we all are, more than our demographic information.
Re-entry from the shallow end
As a team of working parents, we know the meaning of multi-tasking with great familiarity. During the 2014 calendar year, our team welcomed 3 new babies. Since then, we have all returned to work, hoping to strike the right balance between the workforce and motherhood. We feel particularly fortunate to work with a team who understands this tug of war and creates a supportive environment to be both.
Here are 10 realizations (not tips) for returning to the workforce after baby:
1.) Work/life balance – Some days are about sacrifice, whether that be at home or at work. As long as the pendulum doesn’t swing too right or too left, it’s a win.
2.) It takes a village – Lineup your childcare, whether that be a relative, babysitter, or daycare center. And, do a trial run a few days before you return to work.
3.) Ask for help – Be the best mom you can be, and let someone else worry about the other stuff. Anyone can clean a house, buy groceries, walk the dog, pickup dry cleaning – but you’re the only one who can be mom. Ask your partner or family member for help when you need it.
4.) Prep – Do as much as you can the night before. And it’s officially fall, which means the slow cooker is a saving grace.
5.) Make time for yourself – It’s the easiest thing to overlook, but one of the most important. Hone your ability to stay in touch with what you need. Often this skill falls away, along with personal time and space. Practice getting in the habit of asking yourself what you need in any given moment. The acronym HALT (Hungry, Angry, Lonely, and Tired) can help you with that identification. Then attend to that need, as you can.
6.) Be engaged – it is so easy to get distracted, especially with technology. When you are at home with your kids, really — be there and enjoy them. When you are at work, be focused and productive. Time opens up when you can single-task.
7.) Say “no” – you can’t be all things and you can gain a great sense of freedom and relief when you stop trying to be. Prioritize. Some things will have to drop.
8.) Align yourself with other women – maintaining your friendships both pre-kids and post kids is so helpful. Sharing in the good days and laughing about the bad with likeminded people is huge.
9.) Work for a company that places value on family – going back to work is a shock to the system. But knowing that you are working for a company that supports family first is a big help. Whether this means sneaking away to pump or leaving at 4:30 p.m. on Friday to make it to your son’s basketball game.
10.) Wine helps – red, white or bubbly.
Ghost writers & contributors: Katie Kelty, Elizabeth Beauvais, Emily Pappas. Photo Credit: http://www.andrealynntaylor.com
