Hatch’s Post

I appreciate the attention and engagement that this post from NYT contributor Pooja Lakshmin, MD. It fills me with hope for a different future, but before we can achieve that, we must acknowledge that this isn’t betrayal. Betrayal implies that the U.S. government has turned its back on its people. It hasn’t. The system wasn’t supposed to work for women, who were viewed as property for most of the US’s history. The system wasn’t supposed to work for caregivers (majority of whom are women), who were supposed to be at home doing labor that still isn’t recognized as labor. The system wasn’t supposed to work for people with disabilities, who weren’t veiwed as having anything to contribute to society. The system wasn’t supposed to work for Black, Latinx, Asian, or any other non-white American, who weren’t viewed as equal humans with equal rights. The system wasn’t supposed to work for those who didn’t or couldn’t afford to own land, who weren’t viewed as educated enough to elect the US’s leaders. … Let alone anyone who identifies with more than one of these groups. The system is working for those that it was supposed to work for. The structure isn’t broken. We need a new, different, more equitable structure that values people, all people, over profit.

That fire you feel in your belly when your kid is sick and your boss is not super enthused about you Zooming into the important meeting instead of being there in person? That's not just rage. It's betrayal.  Betrayal by a culture that is not set up by or for caregivers . And many of my patients are feeling it. Yes, moms and parents are burnt out and placing the blame on themselves for everything that doesn't work. But betrayal is when you take a minute to look around and realize the broken structures around you are what's causing the burnout in the first place. In other words: it's not you. The real solution to your burnout is a family friendly socio-economic policy that we simply don't have in the US. Last month, when I talked about imagining a country where women are guaranteed paid maternity leave and parents have high-quality child care options, I was inundated by both messages from sisters in other countries saying they don't know how we do it; and messages from folks here in the US who are so incredibly burnt out and angry. Women's history month might be over, but that doesn't mean we should not still be fighting for what we need. If you're in the U.S.: This is an election year! Do you know if your city, county, or state have any measures on the ballot that truly support parents? Have you tried advocacy with your company to enact family leave policies? Please check out Chamber of Mothers to get involved if you have not already.

As part of the Ashoka Social Innovation for Livelihoods program on Systems Change, the story from one of the esteemed guest speakers, Riccarda Zezza Lifeed resonates with this diabolic dilemma of modern society : What does being a mother cost? As Reshma Saujani explains in this poignant video below, we can't continue this facade. If you want to understand the lifetime value of childbirth vs childcare please send a DM with your email address for a one pager. The results will make you question how the very act our survival as a species depends on, is more costly than we can afford. #maternityleave #gender #discrimination #equalpay #paygap #childcare

As a entrepreneur and a mom of one, I often find myself navigating the unique challenges that come with balancing a career and motherhood. It's not just about the number of children we have; it's about the responsibilities we carry and the support systems we build. Every mom’s journey is valid, and we all need support. It’s crucial to recognize that all moms are working moms, regardless of whether they stay at home or juggle careers. We’ve all been let down by a system that celebrates us one day a year but expects us to act as the social safety net without the necessary structural support. This is the motherhood conversation we should be having. We need to chip away at the idea that moms have to do everything alone. Instead we need to foster a sense of motherhood akin to a sisterhood or brotherhood as stated here so eloquently by Reshma Saujani Let's come together, support each other, and push for the changes that will help all moms succeed. #workingmoms #entrepreneur #success #PaidFamilyLeave #ChildCare #BuildTheVillage #coaching

Two powerful takeaways: “All moms are working moms”and “motherhood is the unfinished business of feminism”.

Let us not forget moms, when talking about mental health. Many moms are struggling and I want to speak to you who is in Leadership - check on the moms that are working in your team. Many of us are feeling that we never do enough - when we are at work, we feel like we should be with our children and when we are with our children , some of us feel the pressure about doing more for the job. Speak to the moms and let them know they are doing a good job and that you support them! #workingmoms #moms #career #mentalhealth #checkin

“All moms are working moms, and none of us are ok. We've all been let down by a system that loves to celebrate us one day of the year and expects us to act as America's around-the-clock social safety net all 365 days of the year, and with none of the structural support that other wealthy nations provide.” Reshma Saujani #OnRepeat #InspiredByYou #parenting “82% of #GenZ Mom’s considered leaving the #workforce last year due to the stress and cost of #childcare.” Motherly® report: https://lnkd.in/euuWPfhm “Women leaving the workforce means less economic #growth (to the tune of losing $650+ billion each year). As a society, we love moms. Except we just don’t seem to love moms in the workforce as much as we love them when they’re ‘momming.’ ‘Momwashing’: claims and depictions of #motherhood that have us believe that all moms are fully valued in society when, in reality, they’re simply not. We have to fight…to have the #opportunity for equal economic freedom on top of other freedoms.” Sallie Krawcheck  https://lnkd.in/eshSa93d #SheisSomeone Respect Victoria image here: https://lnkd.in/epQMzfAt Women have been boxed out of economic freedom and we are going to have to organize & fight for our right to not just have a seat at the table but to grow in #power & #influence. “We cannot compete in the global #economy if we dont use everybody’s talent!" Hillary Clinton at the #MomsFirstSummit in previous post: https://lnkd.in/e8Ah6UKB To shift the #narrative & accelerate #progress, we have to #work to #FloodTheFeed with voices, #storytelling and #leadership that reflects the future we desire. #Talent is an asset class! We must #InvestDifferent. #Together #investing #government #leadership #boardsofdirectors #culture #innovation #strategy #jobs #law #philanthropy #diversity #equity #inclusion #belonging #cultureofmoney

At the heart of a Conscious workplace is the tenet that we are all equal in our humanity and therefore equity is a top line value. How equitable is your business's treatment of mothers? And how equitably do your managers treat flexible working hours when applied to a mother's work needs? It seems a policy doesn't really exist and agreements are dependent on individuals' views, which can vary from manager to manager, even when the job ad says 'flexible working hours'. #workingmothers #consciousleadership #equalitydiversityandinclusion #womenatwork #leadership #feminism #equality #equity

Just today, in a Fifth Trimester speaking engagement, I talked about how important it is to bust out of our "bubbles of normal" -- the sense that we have in our workplaces, industries, and country about How Things Should Be for working parents. As soon as you connect with someone outside of that bubble and learn that their normal is NOT your normal -- that we deserve more support, much! -- we can all make progress together. That was just the idea behind this brilliant private/public working event, "Exploring Global Strategies to Support Families with Young Children," dreamed up by Maya Uppaluru Mechenbier, Amira Choueiki Boland and their team at the White House's United States Digital Service, and proudly co-hosted by The Commonwealth Fund and Chamber of Mothers (with my beloved colleagues, Erin Erenberg, Deshi Singh, Ashlee Palmieri, and Raena Boston). Now, here's the big output doc of recommendations that can and should get American parents out of our bubbles of normal to see how paid leave, maternal mental health support, healthier birth, child care are working -- really working! -- in other countries whose models we can adapt and employ. There are SO many great programs here. Please, check them out! PS: My table's idea: What if, in addition to disability leave and bonding leave, our U.S. family leave standards included 2 weeks specifically for mental health leave? Let's normalize that!

"Challenge benevolent bias and Caregive Loudly, alongside advances in parental leave and care policies & workplace will become more equitable for everyone. Now that’s something worth imagining" Lee Chambers #OnRepeat #InspiredByYou and ALL of the comments on your post thread including these here: "I can't tell you how many people ask me 'what does your husband DO?!' I always say, has made a comfortable, stable home base for our family to come home to every day. That is no mean feat, and in our #family, we have a very valuable saying 'if he didn't do what he does, we couldn't do what we do!'" Lisette Davidson "Now imagine having a child with lifelong special needs or parents or a partner with dementia or something similar. We also self-restrict ourselves through not applying for #jobs where the hours are inflexible...So many carers, regardless of their gender, are caught in this trap." Dave Kelsall FBCS CITP "Women are often seen as the primary caregivers. However, regardless of gender, employers should support caregivers and ensure that taking advantage of flexible work arrangements does not hinder their career advancement." Women in Data® "Promoting equal care in the workplace means a more equitable society for everyone!" The Fathering Project "So many old models that need to be rethought. People subconsciously slip into what they know, their old programming, what they grew up experiencing etc. I really hope we start to see a big change but people will need to really examine their thoughts and reactions first I think." Sophie Le Brozec #Talent is an asset class. We must #InvestDifferent! #Leadership #Business #Innovation #Strategy #Finance #Economy #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #belonging #hiring #jobs #money #cultureofmoney