The Work-Life Equation

On this episode of the Work-Life Equation: millennial dads. What does fatherhood look like in 2018? Our very candid panel of modern working dads told us about stepping up as parents, dance classes on football Sundays, sharing the load with mom, redefining self-care, and "embracing the poop" in a job that's harder – and more fun – than they ever imagined.

On this episode of the Work-Life Equation: the "mental load"—the constant need to think about the family's whereabouts. As a mom, you're likely more than just a parent; you're also the unofficial manager of everything your family is doing and when. Turns out, this is weighing many working women down. Here we present research from Bright Horizons showing the mental load is real, and offer tips on how to manage your own load...and maybe even lighten it up.

On this episode of the Work-Life Equation: how to navigate parental leave. From the pre-leave side of the equation, working plus parenting can seem impossible. But Karen Rubin, managing director of employee coaching company Talking Talent has coached many employees on successfully navigating this important time. Here she offers important steps, from how to make the announcement, through the busy months leading up to taking leave, and how to reclaim your career when you come back.

On this episode of the Work-Life Equation, learn why your health is good for the whole family. It's not always easy to take care of yourself when you're busy taking care of the family, but it's important for everyone. Wellness expert Christina Reale tells us some of the realistic ways working parents can fit in nutrition, sleep, and exercise into their lives and how to pave the way to everyday health and happiness.

On this episode of the Work-Life Equation, turn those parenting lemons into lemonade! It might not seem like it, but your child is more predictable than you think—and each stage of your child's development, along with every meltdown, is a gateway to skill-building for your little one. Hear from early childhood experts Ellen Galinsky, the Chief Science Officer at the Bezos Family Foundation and Executive Director at Mind in the Making, and Rachel Robertson, the Education and Development Vice President at Bright Horizons as they discuss common parenting challenges and the science behind parenting that can turn frustration into great skills for life. Working Moms and the Mental Load Show Notes 1:01 - Learn about the motivation behind the Bright Horizons study on mental load. The full study results from the 2017 Modern Family Index put numbers to the issue. 1:23 - Read "The Default Parent" blog post by M. Blazoned. 2:43 - Ilene answers the question, "What was the high-level snapshot you got from the study?" ● 86 percent of working mothers handle all family and household responsibilities ● 76 percent of breadwinning moms manage the household vs. 22 percent of breadwinning dads 5:09 - Ilene describes how mental load plays out in her own life. 6:20 - Lisa posits one theory about mental load that explains how dads have tangible responsibilities and very specific tasks, but moms often shoulder all mental responsibilities, including all the things that need to be remembered. 9:15 - Lisa asks, "How can working moms lighten the mental load?" 9:44 - When thinking how to lighten the mental load, Ilene suggests two reflection questions: 1. Am I looking to solve the imbalance between myself and my partner? 2. Do I really want to share this load? (Which also means giving up decision-making.) 12:06 - Mental load affects new moms coming back to work from leave, which Bright Horizons discussed in a recent parent webinar, Life as a New Working Parent. 13:30 - Ilene says the research also shows dads want to be more involved in children's lives, are more likely than moms to give up a raise for more family time, and more than ever interested in flexible working hours. Hear our conversation with today's dads in podcast episode 16, "Talking Fatherhood with Millennial Dads." 15:51 - Lisa talks about how millennial dads often feel like trailblazers, like the New York Mets player Daniel Murphy, who was criticized for taking paternity leave. 18:05 - Lisa makes the point that letting go is OK for moms to do, citing an article by Anne-Marie Slaughter, "The Real Holiday Magic Comes Not From Micromanaging, but Letting Go." 18:47 - Lisa asks, "Can moms change or are they stuck being tiger moms?" Tiger moms are often characterized as keeping tight controls over their children or families. 22:15 - Lisa celebrates that working moms (and dads) are role models for their children, preparing the next generation for equality in parenting, as discussed in a previous podcast episode, Celebrating Working Mothers. 22:37 - Ilene does not believe in work-life balance that puts work on one side of the scale and parenting on the other side. Listen to the Bright Horizons webinar, Integrating Work and Life, to hear more about this dynamic. 23:43 - Follow this link to read or download the full study or search Modern Family Index on the Bright Horizons website, www.brighthorizons.com.

On this episode of the Work-Life Equation, real working parents talk surviving the busy holiday season. From taming the "I wants" to surviving the "You need two dozen cupcakes…by when?!" and forgiving yourself for cranberry sauce from a can, Bright Horizons working moms Kate, Aili, Rachel, and Michelle share their real-life strategies for creating festive, satisfying holidays for their families…minus the guilt.

On this episode of the Work-Life Equation, we learn how to take back our countertops! Clutter seems to grow with children, moving steadily from bedrooms to playrooms until it creeps into every corner of your house. But it's not hopeless. Mary Lou Andre, founder of Organization by Design, Inc., and editor of Dressing Well Online, offers tips, tricks, and advice on how to control kid-related clutter…so it doesn't control you.

In this episode of the Work-Life Equation, we are celebrating the work of mothers and discussing why you should never feel guilty about a having career. Our guest, Pam Lenehan, is a director of three public companies and two non-profits, and author of My Mother, My Mentor, a book about how now-adult children thrived from having working mothers. Her research shows that the benefits of going to work every day go way beyond just bringing home a paycheck.

In this episode of the Work-Life Equation, we're revisiting a webinar from the archives all about getting organized and family routines.Our guests Ruth, Megan, and Mary, Bright Horizons parents just like you, reveal their day-in-life routines, from heading out in the morning, to winding down in the evening, and getting ready for the next day Pick up a few tips from these working moms to help you corral a chaotic daily grind.

In this episode of the Work-Life Equation, we're dispelling myths about working mothers and fathers and finding out how both can get the most from careers and families. Our guest Jodi Detjen, author of The Orange Line: Integrating Career, Family, and Life and professor at Suffolk University, shows how breaking out of gender stereotypes—and truly sharing the load—gives everyone more time and less stress.