The Work/Life Balancing Act

What moms really want for mother's day...Our kids attention

For Mother's Day, I want my kids' attention. I want them to do an activity with me -- plant flowers, ride bikes, go for a run, read a book. 

Lately, "Cats in the Cradle" my husband's favorite song, has begun playing in my head. When my children were younger, I would return home from work and they race toward me with open arms. My son used to immediately tug on my pant legs to be picked up.

But now that my two older children are teens, they're racing toward their friends, filling their calendars with social activities that don't include hanging out with parents.  I know it's normal. I know it's all good. But I also know that anything they could buy me for Mother's Day isn't as meaningful as giving me their time and attention.

For all those moms out there struggling to balance work and families, err on the side of spending more time with your kids. Many experienced moms will tell you raising children to young adults zips by fast. But it doesn't really hit home until, like me, you're a year away from a child leaving for college. 

Over this last week, my Inbox has been flooded with press releases for products to buy mom. People will spend an average of $40 each on mom. But what we really want can't be bought. Offers.com says Most moms are hoping for Mother’s Day gifts this year that are from the heart. Its Mother’s Day poll results reveals handmade, sentimental gifts are most popular. 

I know most of us moms would trade a gift for special time with our kids. And in the end, as we do our daily juggling act, we might want to remember, our kids -- old or young -- probably feel that way too.

Happy Mother's Day to all of you who are moms! 

 

Working Mom Takes a Risk to Improve her Work Life Balance

One day, Luly B., a working mom, looked at her life and her business and decided she needed to make a change. I admire that. It's easy to get in a rut but it takes guts to restructure your work or home life to bring more balance to your situation. I'm thrilled to have Luly as my guest blogger today to share her experience.

Here's her story:

 

For more than 15 years, Lourdes Balepogi – or as she’s affectionately known, Luly B – has consulted, coached and connected her way to the top of her profession. She is the president of Chispa Marketing, her Miami-based boutique marketing firm. She recently launched Luly B., Inc. in an effort to empower women entrepreneurs to have it all. She’s an expert speaker, consultant and strategist with a contagious energy that will undoubtedly leave you inspired to act.

 

 

I did it. I took the plunge. Followed my passion. No fear. No pride. Just plain and simple, I decided to make a dream come true.

My dream?

To share my expertise and experiences not only as a marketing expert of 15 years, but also my journey as a mom entrepreneur. The guilt. The excitement. The turmoil of choice and priorities. The obstacles that we can turn into opportunities.

Like millions of moms in the U.S., I left a career in “Corporate America” to find balance as a mom. Six years ago, I had a six month old, a 2 1/2 year old and a fledgling boutique marketing firm in Miami with large-scale clients including the country’s largest college and one of the world’s largest wine festivals.

Unfortunately, balance was the last thing I was getting for many years. You see, so many women have begun and continue to begin businesses (we are now opening businesses at twice the rate of men) but have trouble knowing our value, negotiating, and scaling our businesses – myself included.

I struggled with guilt, self-doubt, and fear. Eventually, I learned my lessons and continued to grow the company. Last summer, though, I made the very bold decision to restructure my business. I made my employees contractors who would work virtually, hired a few other contractors, closed my office, and kept only my large-scale clients.

Because I had another idea; a growing passion.

The reason I restructured my business was simple, but it felt profound. I realized that many mom entrepreneurs were experiencing the same things as I was. The guilt; the day-to-day struggles, and most frequently, the chase toward that elusive ideal of “balance.”

And having made the bold decision to drastically change my business, I was ready to move on to my next journey - so I launched my second company, Luly B, Inc. where I empower mom entrepreneurs to have it all!

And I’m so glad I made that decision.

Finally, I feel like I am beginning to have some sanity in my life. You see, rather than getting stuck on the word "balance" and trying to be it all, I focused on what made ME happy so I could have it all – in marriage, with my children, and in business.

We need to stop putting so much pressure on ourselves to be perfect and just focus on being happy. We are going to have to make tough decisions, compromises, and prioritize constantly. But at the end of the day, it's all worth it. Being an entrepreneur in our country is an amazing opportunity and I wouldn't change it for anything in the world. So screw the balance! Balance is BS. It’s about being genuine, bold, and centered.

It’s about what makes YOU happy.

Click here to see my infographic 

On the 20th Anniversary FMLA push forward on unfinished business

Can you imagine having a baby, wanting a few weeks off and losing your job if you take them?

Until 20 years ago, women had no right to maternity leave. Men had no right to medical leave.

Thanks to women like Ellen Bravo of Family Values @ Work and Judith Lichtman and Debra Ness of The National Partnership for Women & Families, women and men at big employers don't have to worry their jobs will be gone if they need time off for these type of family needs. Yes, I'm aware that over the two decades, some workers have abused FMLA. But when I look at all the people who have used FMLA to be better family members and better employees, I consider it beneficial to all and a critical component of work life balance.

Happy Anniversary to FMLA and may efforts succeed to expand the federal law to be even more inclusive!

(Photo below: Ellen Bravo joins in Milwaukee's Labor Day March) 

Twenty years after the Family Medical Leave Act became law, advocates say its time for expansion.

Wednesday, 02.06.13

By CINDY KRISCHER GOODMAN

balancegal@gmail.com

When I gave birth to my daughter, I returned home with a squirmy little bundle and immediately felt overwhelmed. Though I was exhausted from changing diapers and waking for feedings, I was thankful that my job was secure.

In our struggle to balance our family lives and our work lives, one law has made a giant difference for me and 35 million other American workers — the Family Medical Leave Act.

This week, the FMLA celebrates its 20th year in existence. It’s been a godsend for those of us who want time to bond with our newborn, care for an aging parent or deal with a health emergency without the fear of losing our jobs.

But two decades after President Bill Clinton signed the FMLA into law, advocates say they still have unfinished business.

“It was meant to be a first step toward a family-friendly American workplace. But it is 20 years and we haven’t gotten to the second step,” says Judith Lichtman, senior advisor to the National Partnership for Women & Families and an original advocate for passage of FMLA.

In many ways, the FMLA has been even more helpful to working families than expected. The law initially was conceived to allow working mothers like me to take time off for childbirth and post-maternity.

But over 20 years, it has been used 100 million times by all types of workers — about 40 percent of them men.

The FMLA has provided time off for women who needed medical care during difficult pregnancies, fathers who took time to care for children fighting cancer, adult sons and daughters caring for frail parents and workers taking time to recover from their own serious illnesses.

The federal law says we can take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave if we work at a company with more than 50 employees, with a caveat that we must be employed there for a year. The big benefit is that our jobs are protected during that leave.

During the recession, the job security and the continuation of health insurance that FMLA guarantees proved particularly important.

Debbie Winkles, senior VP/director of human resources at Great Florida Bank in Miami Lakes, (pictured to the left) used FMLA three years ago when she needed to care for her husband who was battling cancer. Today, Winkles has male and female bank employees who are using FMLA to care for their newborns or to cope with illness.

Her company has created an easy spreadsheet system to track its employees’ FMLA leave. “With today’s health issues, so many people diagnosed with cancer are having chemotherapy, and employees need medical leave for themselves or a family member.”

 

In Wisconsin, Jill Delie is using FMLA to manage a chronic disease by taking a few days off each month for doctors appointments. In Maine, Vivian Mikhail used FMLA to care for her daughter, Nadia, when the little girl was diagnosed with an autoimmune condition that left her completely deaf. (photo below)

Just this week, a longtime friend of mine told me how fortunate she feels to be able to take FMLA to spend time with her mother who has incurable lung cancer. “I don’t want to lose my job, but I can’t imagine not being there for her when she needs me,” my friend sighed.

Yet for all the benefit, FMLA doesn’t guarantee wages while workers are on leave, a component advocates had planned as a second step. According to a Department of Labor study, 78 percent of workers who needed FMLA leave did not use it because they could not afford to take unpaid leave. Proposed federal legislation would expand eligibility and introduce a paid sick leave or a family-leave insurance program.

Read more....

 

PR exec shares her secret for finding work life balance

Earlier this month, I received this email from PR executive Tadd Schwartz of Miami's Schwartz Media:

 

Cindy,

A lot of folks might be surprised to learn that the job of a PR exec is
considered one of the top five most stressful positions in the workforce
The job of a pr counselor never ends. The pressure to exceed expectations and be involved in every aspect of your client's business is enormous. The more you care , the more personal you take it when problems arise . You have to be totally engaged with your client and the media and the industry all the time - there is no half way in this biz . You have to be organized, multitask , sell, communicate and be sharp every day.  And with all that comes pressure to perform. 

Ok - I just stressed myself out - going for a run. Hope you're well 

Tadd

 

Along with the email, Tadd sent me the link to the list of the Most Stressful Jobs for 2013. I know Tadd is a runner and I'm pretty sure that helps him with stress and work life balance. 

Today another talented PR exec shares her secret for work life balance. My guest blogger is Duree Ross, president of South Florida-based Durée & Company,  an award-winning PR entrepreneur with a broad spectrum of experience spanning the corporate, agency and non-profit arenas. Durée lives in Ft. Lauderdale with her family and is an avid community advocate. She makes the stressful job of running a PR firm look managable.

  

“Giving” to Achieve Balance Between My Professional and Personal Life

As president of my own public relations, marketing and special events firm for 13 years, I’ve always made it a priority to give back. Every day, I “give my professional all” to the number of for-profit clients and non-profit organizations that I proudly represent.

Notice that “give” is an important word in my vocabulary. In order to “give” in my professional life, it’s imperative that I “give” to myself and my family, every day. There is no doubt that I put an immense amount of effort and time into my work – because I love what I do. But, like many women, I am four people in one: a full-time wife, a full-time mom, and a full-time professional, and last but not least, a full-time individual who needs to take care of herself.

Each one of those “fourths” has to get equal attention in order for the whole to run smoothly.   

My husband Dwayne and I, both busy professionals, just celebrated our 12^th anniversary. With our crazy
schedules, we HAVE TO make it a priority to create time for each other, and we make the most of that time.  Even during my most stressful days, a comforting smile, loving hug, and basically an “I’m
here for you” from my husband make it all better.

My 10-year-old son and 6-year old daughter are a lot like me: they’re always on the go. Whenever possible, I make it a point to be there for them, whether it’s being their chauffeur, their cheering section, or their tutor. Of course, sometimes I have client meetings, events, etc. that I can’t miss. But, the time that I get to spend with them whenever it’s humanly possible is golden. And, with a job that things change in an instant, its nice to know that I can answer calls, check emails, and do more
while I am with my children and not missing out on parts of their lives.

As many females do, I tend to put my needs last. I’m trying to get better at this. Having worked on the Go Red for Women campaign for the American Heart Association, I have a great understanding of the importance of good health. Any time I can, I work in an exercise class. I try to get adequate sleep. I try to eat healthy. Notice the word “try,” but I’m working on it.

Don’t let me fool you; life for the working mom in 2013 isn’t easy. Balance is very difficult to achieve, but it is possible and with hard work, it is possible.

 

 

How a new mother finds sanity

I remember getting home with my newborn daughter and wondering why she cried so much. I even called the hospital and asked the nurse who had helped deliver her what I should do to stop the crying. I had been used to handling all kinds of workplace dilemmas, but this little baby had me in a state of hysteria.

A friend of mine, a business owner, had a completely different newborn experience. She hired a baby nurse – an amazing benefit for those who can afford it. It made her transition into motherhood much easier and allow her to get back on her feet and enjoy motherhood while keeping her business afloat.

 

Today, my guest blogger is Jacque Scherfer, Vice President of Best Care, a South Florida home-healthcare provider.

Jacque is a Registered Nurse with a Baccalaureate in Nursing and has worked in various aspects of nursing and management. She shares some insight into what to look for in a baby nurse and how to make the most out of the experience.

 

 

HOW A BABY NURSE CAN BE A LIFE SAVER

Hiring a baby nurse is an option for parents who need that extra little bit of help and guidance when they bring their new bundle of joy (or joys) home for the first time.  While for many, the “mama bear” instinct immediately kicks in, other parents may just need some extra help from a professional to launch them into their parental routine.

 

An experienced baby nurse is not just a nanny for hire. The baby nurse usually helps out during the first few weeks of the baby’s life. Her primarily goal is to help care for the newborn and to teach new parents how to feed, bathe, wrap and attend to all of their newborn’s needs.  The nurse can assist in prepping the baby for breastfeeding and then also bottle feed the baby during the late-night and wee hours, so the parents can get their rest and sleep through the night. 

A baby nurse also is especially helpful for parents who have other children to care for, for households where both parents work and even where one parent travels or works during the night.  We also must not forget the unique challenge of caring for newborn twins, triplets, or other multiple-births, where an extra set of hands is always a welcome pleasure.

One of the biggest benefits is having the nurse help with the day-to-day routine of caring for a newborn also allows the mom to get the rest she needs to speed up her recovery time so she can take care of the child much sooner on her own.

If possible, the process of finding a baby nurse should begin before the baby is born.  It is important for parents to meet and interview candidates prior to hiring them, so they are confident and comfortable with the person who is living in their home and caring for their newborn child. 

But a baby nurse can help mom, too, especially one who is recovering from a c-section or other tough delivery.  The nurse or aide can assist by helping the mom walk, changing her bandages and providing any additional care that she needs during her recovery.

A common question: What is the average length of time people hire a baby nurse ?

The average amount of time varies from  1 to 2 weeks, a few weeks to a couple of months, then at that point they are done and baby and parents have a schedule formed or parents are looking for long term child care in the form of a nanny. 

New mothers also want to know what they should expect to pay for a baby nurse and whether the rates are daily or weekly.

It depends on what the new parent is looking for. A few hours a day can be a few hundred dollars, but then again they may ask for someone to live in weekly which could be over a thousand dollars a week. For specifics they should call the home care provider for more details. Services can be hourly or daily.

Another common question: Are agencies the best way to find a baby nurse?

Yes, a home health care company is the best place to look for a caregiver because of the level of requirements and background checks that are required.  A licensed home care provider like a Nurse registry or home health company are the best way. At Best Care, we provide parents with credentialed, licensed and insured nurses and nurse’s aides who are highly trained and CPR certified.  They typically provide 24-hour care and assist parents in every aspect of newborn care.  All of our nurses have medical backgrounds, level 2 background checks, drug screenings and are prepared to step in wherever needed.  

There are independent baby nurses but when hiring someone independent, you run the risk of who are you getting.  Are they properly licensed and trained? Do they have a criminal background? Only licensed providers can give you independent verified answers to these questions.

 

When TV working moms quit their jobs are they bad role models?

Earlier this week, I tuned into one of my favorite TV shows, Parenthood, and watched one of my favorite working mothers, power lawyer Julia Braverman-Graham, lose her cool. Julia, mom to a biological daughter and a newly adopted grade-school-age son has been distracted at work in recent episodes. She's been trying to help her new son, Victor, get adjusted to being part of her family.

After screwing up at work, screwing up at home and suffering a panic attack, Julia has a work life balance meltdown. Then, she's called into the office on her day off. When her angry bosses doubt her commitment to the partner-track, Julia makes a huge move: She quits her job.

Slate.com says her circumstances are particular, but Julia's part of a larger trend: pop-culture moms who take their jobs and shove 'em when work starts to interfere with family life. It gives Sex & The City's Miranda and Ed's Nancy Burton as other examples of this trend.

I'm left to wonder, does TV fail to provide working mothers with role models who explore options other than quitting when the going gets tough?

Claire Huxtable of The Cosby Show made it look oh so easy to raise a house full of kids and work full time as a lawyer while her husband enjoyed his career as a doctor. Claire was frustrated at times, but she NEVER talked about quitting her job.

I like that Parenthood presented a real look at how job commitment can be questioned when a working mother seems distracted by what's going on at home. I think that's a realistic scenario and I'm sure other mom lawyers have had to face the same humiliating questioning of their commitment to their workplace that Julia endured.

While it makes for good TV to have Julia quit, I'm left to wonder, what's next for this family's breadwinner? Will she have the kind of discussion that real moms have with their spouses?  Will she and her hubby talk frankly about her options and how the family will get by financially without the kind of salary a lawyer on partner track brings home?

I would like to have seen Julia discuss her options with her firm's management before quitting. I'm not fond of the all or nothing approach to work life balance. I'm not saying that Julia is a bad role model because she quit, but I hope Parenthood paints the aftermath of this type of decision as stress-laden as it did the events leading up to it.

As  fan of the CBS show,  The Good Wife, I enjoy watching Alicia Florrick at work as a lawyer and at home as a mom. But after the first season, her mother-in-law no longer watches her kids while she's at the office. We viewers have no idea how she pulls of her work life balancing act or whether it's the least bit difficult for her.

Readers, can you think of working mother role models on TV who you feel portray an accurate look at the work life balance challenges that women face? Do you find it a disappointment when a TV working mother quits her job? 

Debbie Zelman: Balancing stomach cancer with a greater purpose

How do you survive a death sentence?

Luck, good doctors, experimental treatments, an integrative medical routine, love, support and a bigger purpose.

Those are the factors that have helped Debbie Zelman survive for five years after she was diagnosed with Stage IV stomach cancer, which carries a survival rate of only 4 percent for five years.

If you meet Debbie, you immediately want to support her efforts to find a cure for stomach cancer. She is upbeat, energetic and positive. She reminds all of us not to sweat the small stuff in our daily struggle with work life balance but to look for a greater purpose. Debbie now balances her personal health with a mission to help others with the disease as founder and president of Can't Stomach Cancer.

I hope reading her story inspires all of you as much as it has me.

WORK/LIFE BALANCING ACT

Health — and purpose — keep angst in check

By Cindy Krischer Goodman     

A cancer survivor’s example underscores the importance of a greater purpose in keeping work, life and health in balance.

        Debbie Zelman, cancer survivor and founder of Can't Stomach Cancer.    

            

• Photo

By Cindy Krischer Goodman

balancegal@gmail.com

            Just last month, in a cozy restaurant with family around the table, Debbie Zelman blew out the candle on her birthday cake. It was an act that was both defiant and exciting. Zelman had turned 45.

Others might look at a milestone birthday with angst. For Zelman, the occasion marked something entirely different: resilience and determination after turning back from a deadly form of cancer.

In our daily quest for work/life balance, we live in the present, trying to get dinner on the table, the sprinklers fixed or meet a work deadline. But then comes a health crisis and all our mundane “to dos” seem inconsequential. In October, as the country gives our attention to cancer survivors, people like Zelman remind us that balancing personal health with a job that makes a difference for others is the ultimate balancing act.     

      It was only five years ago that Zelman was zooming between the demands of her own Broward County law office and her home life with three young children and husband. And then, her meals just wouldn’t stay down.

Doctors first told her she was suffering the effects of stress. Weak and famished, Zelman checked into a Plantation hospital. After tests, a hospital doctor delivered a deadly diagnosis: inoperable Stage 4 stomach cancer, rare in young women and carrying a survival rate of less than 5 percent in five years.

It seemed the most shattering news Zelman could possibly receive.

But Zelman, whose youngest was only three, immediately reacted obstinately.   “I cannot and will not picture my kids without a mother.” Zelman remembers thinking: “I could either let this disease define who I was or I could fight for my life. Well, I’m a fighter. ”

About a year after her diagnosis, Zelman figured she needed a game plan. She had spent much of that year in bed, doctors’ offices and hospitals. She needed to know that somebody, somewhere, was working to find a cure for stomach cancer.

Initially, Zelman launched Debbie’s Dream Foundation as a way for family and friends to help her fund innovative research and raise awareness of the disease. That foundation, now a national non-profit charity based in Davie and called Can’t Stomach Cancer, has turned into something giant and inspirational.

Zelman has rallied more than 10,000 people across the country to organize and participate in at least 50 events to raise money for stomach cancer research. She has brought together 20 of the country’s top doctors to participate in Can’t Stomach Cancer’s medical advisory board.

She has put together two national educational symposiums for doctors, patients and caregivers to share information. She has built a website, hired staff and founded a program to help cancer patients get information on where to go for treatment and how to connect with survivors.

Thanks to her efforts, Can’t Stomach Cancer now has eight chapters across the country. She now sits on the Esophago-Gastric Task Force of the National Cancer Institute.

Zelman built Can’t Stomach Cancer while receiving chemotherapy every three weeks, going on date nights with her husband, Andrew Guttman, and driving her three children, 14-year-old twins Rachel and Zachary, and 7-year-old Sarah, to school and activities.

“When I’m not being a mom or cancer patient, all my free time is devoted to the foundation,” Zelman says. “Family and friends have told me, ‘have fun, relax’ but it gives me strength to know that I may be part of finding a cure and helping others.”   

Click here to read more...

 

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/10/09/3042188/cindy-krischer-goodman-health.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/10/09/3042188/cindy-krischer-goodman-health.html#storylink=cpy

 

Debbie Zelman, founder of Can't Stomach Cancer, and her mom, Madelyn Zelman, secretary and board member of Can't Stomach Cancer.

Can you do it all in 24 hours? Working mother and criminal defense attorney Alison Triessl says yes!

This pitch got my attention:

How many people can say they run a law firm covering cases such as Lois Ann Goodman or Survivor producer Bruce Beresford-Redman on top of designing the “Wild About Trial” app, being the legal correspondent on “The Insider’” and the co-founder of the Pasadena Recovery Center aka the location of VH1’s “Rehab with Dr. Drew”? Oh wait – and also mom of three young boys.

So how does Criminal defense attorney Alison Triessl do it?

I was intrigued and wanted to find out. So, I asked Alison to be my guest blogger and impart her wisdom on all of us. I think you'll like what she has to say.

Just so you know, Alison is President of the Los Angeles County Criminal Courts Bar Association,
and practices criminal defense law specializing in third strike, drug and assault cases. She also is the owner of three companies. Here are her life observations:

1.  Work is work.  It's important, fulfilling, and pays the bills. But at the end of the day,
work is work.  There is nothing more important than your family and you can never lose sight of that.  If my child is Student of the Month, I am there for the morning assembly, even if it means staying at
my office late to recover the lost hours of work.  Also, when I am at work, I am totally committed to my job and my clients however, my cell phone is always on just in case there is a kid emergency.  However,  I am NEVER on the phone when I walk into my house.  There have been hundreds of times when I have cut a phone conversation off mid-sentence by saying, "I'm walking in my house to see my kids and I have a policy of never talking on the phone when I walk in."  Nobody has ever been offended.

2. Talk to your kids (without interruptions).  When I get home, we turn off all electronic devices and put down the _____ ball (insert soccer, baseball, basketball, handball depending on the season or the day) and I then spend the next 15 minutes hugging, kissing and asking my kids about their day.  I ask each one individually  and wait for him to respond---my oldest son is super outgoing and therefore, he has a tendency to answer every question for everyone in the family so I make sure that each child gets a chance to tell me about their day.  In those uninterrupted few minutes, you can learn a lot about the day's adventures including what they learned, who fell from the sunny list, what girl likes them, why they did not eat what we packed for them etc.  Those minutes are so important because they allow me to stay connected to my kids.  And since my work schedule does not allow me to be room parent or pick them up from school, I need that time to experience the day through their eyes. 

 3. Being a working mom takes planning.  I have calendars everywhere---a calendar in my
office, a calendar in our kitchen and a calendar in my purse at all times.  I write down every appointment, every event, and every work commitment in triplicate. I even color code the one at home, each child (I have three boys) gets their own color.  I check my calendars daily and once a week, my paralegal and I have a sit down and have a "coordinate our calendars meeting."

 

4. Buy birthday presents in bulk.  Some for girls ages 8, 6, and 2 and some for boys ages 8, 6, 2 so
we are not scrambling the morning of the party to get a present. 

 

5.  Give kids their space. My boys love to play handball and if I let them,they would play it in every room in the house.  And while any mom will tell you that boys break things often, I have minimized their ability to do real damage.  I removed all meaningful furniture out of our front room and
declared it to be our official handball court.  They have access to the entire room.  They can bounce the balls off of the walls, the ceiling, even their heads if they want to, I don't care but, it is the only
room in our house where they are allowed to play handball.  If they don't comply, we move the furniture back into the room and their awesome indoor handball court is gone. Our handball court has been in place for two years now and no one has broken that rule yet!

 

6. Stay positive. I know that is the easy advice to give.  I see real sadness in my job.  I represent people who kill people, people whose lives have been torn apart because of drugs or alcohol or
sexual abuse. These are the real life horrors---the ones that we all want to shelter our kids from---and I have to deal with these tragedies on a daily basis.  Yet, it doesn't depress me or sour me. It makes me extremely thankful for the life I have, for the children I am blessed with raising and the husband that makes my life complete.      

 

7. Life is short. The time your kids are in car seats is even shorter.  Enjoy it, enjoy them and remember work is work!

 

 

How to Copy Working Mother's 100 Best Companies

Have you ever wondered, "Why doesn't my employer get it?"

The good news is that some employers do get the concept that a business can turn a profit while still making life more manageable for working parents.

Working Mother just came out with its list of the 100 Best Companies and they are offering some very cool benefits. Some of those benefits, guaranteed to help with work life balance, are easy to replicate, even by small employers.

Check this out: AOL’s New York City office recently gave employee parents a break by babysitting their kids for an entire Saturday. That's an easy perk for a small business to offer.

Here's another cool program: At First Horizon National Corp. they have a Working Parents Network: “It gives those of us who are caring for others the chance to exchange ideas, share photos and cry on each other’s shoulders,” a member says.

The “top” companies on the Working Mother best list offered paid maternity leave, telecommuting options and on-site lactation rooms. This year, the winners have shown their commitment in new ways like elder care referral and legal assistance to help busy parents manage their responsibilities. Those two perks aren't expensive to offer and mean a lot to those who need them. 

Some of the best companies even offered back-up child care, adoption assistance, health screenings and smoking cessation programs. Twenty-three percent had on-site nap rooms. Does that make you jealous, or maybe a bit sleepy?

Many on the list, such as Valassis Communications, offered flexible work hours. I see that as a family-friendly benefit an employer of any size could provide to its workers. 

Valassis also offers child care reimbursement, a complimentary car seat for newborns, college care packages and convenience services like on-site fitness centers, family rooms and dry cleaning services. It also offers an adoption assistance program,  up to $5,000 toward the adoption of a child.

The interest in fitness to help with work life balance is increasing. At Abbott,  at least 75% of employees are enrolled in the LiveLifeWell initiative, which features 12-week exercise challenges and 10,000-steps-per-day walking competitions. I bet even a small business could engage its employees in an exercise challenge.

Read more here: http://www.heraldonline.com/2012/09/18/4271590/valassis-named-as-working-mother.html#storylink=cpy

Here is a full list of Working Mother's 2012 100 Best Companies and some key statistics on their performance.

What one “family” benefit would you most like to have at your office?

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/09/18/4829686/2012-working-mother-100-best-companies.html#storylink=cpy

Does homework insanity lead to future workplace success?

I was sitting on the soccer field, reading a story in the Wall Street Journal, when I commented to a dad sitting next to me that somehow, this woman I was reading about had managed to get her kid out of doing homework.

"Wouldn't that be nice?" I sarcastically asked.

His answer surprised me. "I think homework helps with work ethic and career success." This dad, who sells printing services, went on to tell me about how much work he brings home and how he must respond to client calls and requests at all hours. "In our workplaces today, we bring work home and our future workers need to be prepared to handle it."

Hmmm....that got me thinking....below is the column that resulted from our discussion. I mostly hear from parents who consider homework a burden. I'd love to hear your thoughts on whether you think volumes of homework has benefits for future workers of America.

Coping with homework insanity

 

Does homework overload or help shape the next generation for what’s ahead? Or should we be providing some balance for kids (and their parents), too?

Debbie Regent, 48, center, assists her children Haley, 10, left, and Brooke, 14, with their homework at their kitchen table. Weston resident Debbie Regent, 48, working parent with two girls, supervised her children homework for several hours in Weston on Sunday, September 16, 2012. 

CARL JUSTE / MIAMI HERALD STAFF

BY CINDY KRISCHER GOODMAN

BALANCEGAL@GMAIL.COM

The words slip off the tongue of the dad who triages a math assignment from his corner office or the mother who darts home from work to review dozens of spelling words: Stop the homework insanity!

I’ve uttered those words myself, often late at night after my daughter is melting down from hours of math problems on top of essays and chapter outlines. Ask almost any parent and they will tell you that the volume of homework that fills their kid’s agenda is overwhelming.

To rebel, books and websites have been dedicated to the Stop Homework movement, urging letter writing campaigns and teacher confrontation. Last week, I read about a woman who bragged that her grade school daughter had never done a lick of homework. Each year, the mom sits down with the teacher and principal and explains that her daughter will pay attention, get stellar grades and perform well on tests but she will not do homework. She tells the school they can alert her if intervention is required. Somehow, this has worked.

Yet, I’m wondering if we’re taking the wrong approach. Is the homework insanity we complain about as working parents the key to preparing our kids for the workplace of the future?

One father I know convincingly argues that homework, even volumes, is critical preparation for career success. “It’s not realistic for us to raise kids to think they’re going to work 9 to 5, leave and they’re done,” he said. “These kids are going to need to be well prepared to handle all the meetings and projects and emails that come at them in the workplace.”

Clearly, there are new rules we play by in the workplace today. If you want a decent job that will lead to a decent life, you have to work harder and smarter. Workplace experts say the next generation of workers will need to be innovators, problem solvers, open-minded risk-takers with the ability to learn new things, adapt to new work situations and maintain high productivity.

“The onus will be on workers to structure their time,” says Lynn Karoly, a senior economist with RAND Corp. who has studied the future workforce. From her own kids’ homework experience, Karoly says she’s seen a shift, with teachers giving short and long-term assignments, team projects and verbal presentations. “That’s indicative of the way students are expected to learn and the skills they will need in the workforce.”

Tell that to Debbie Regent, a mother of two girls, 14 and 10, who says homework stress is ruining her life. After a day of work, she arrives home to several hours of homework supervision. “There is a value to reinforcing what you learned that day through homework. There is not value in torturing a kid with five pages of math problems, when they have other classes with homework assignments as well.” Regent, a campaign executive with the Jewish National Fund, asserts that homework, much of which is just busywork, not only keeps kids from needed down time, it burdens parents, too.

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