Mom Who Works : The Tools to Redefine What It Means to be a Working Mom (In a World Without "Working Dads")

What inspired you to write Mom Who Works?

I've simply never heard my husband referred to as a "working dad." He is a dad, who works. So why, then, must we moms, who work, be categorized under the label of "working mom"? Research and personal experience, backed up by stories of dozens of moms who have shared with me, show that this label often comes with workplace bias and lesser pay, and it stifles career advancement, as well as piling on crippling mom guilt and a set of expectations to "do it all" that can be debilitating and overwhelming. To be frank, it's bullshit, and I'm ready to rewrite that narrative and inspire, empower, and equip moms to redefine what it means to be a working mom.

Why do you feel you were the one that had to write this book?

Our shared stories lessen isolation, and over the past few years, I've been honored to have dozens of women share with me their stories of becoming, remaining, and flourishing as moms who work. I believe I have been trusted to steward the voices of moms who work, who are ready to redefine the label of "working mom." While writing a book about being a working mom is not an original idea, I do believe the reordering of the words "working mom" to "mom who works" matters, and I believe it is an important personal and communal work to help transform the lives of moms who work. It's different from anything I've ever seen, and I feel really excited to share this perspective. Also, I believe this book offers real tools to help and incorporates stories of many women as opposed to a narrative of just one woman. I hope this will allow us to each find a piece of ourselves in the pages of this book.

What do you hope the reader gets out of reading your book?

I want the mom who works who picks up this book to find relief and reinforcements to affirm she is not alone-she's not alone in her dreams, she's not alone in her fails, she's not alone when she wants to quit, and she's not alone when she wants to work. I want the reader to know she can have it all by defining what "it all" means just for her. I want the reader to know she can redefine what it means to be a working mom and have the tools and inspiration she needs to curate the life she desires.