Know the non-negotiable relationships in your life – the ones that fill you up and make you whole – and put your time and energy into nurturing and sustaining those.
Name:
April Carretta
Current Occupation:
Communications Executive at The Walt Disney Company
# of Children and their Ages:
Two kiddos: my daughter Rowan is 10, and my son Graham is 8.5
What do you love about being a working mom?
I love that my kids see me value and prioritize a career alongside our family life.
I love that it is entirely normal to them to have two working parents and to flip the script on traditional roles within a family.
At our house, Dad does all of the cooking and a lot of the cleaning, and the kids pitch in to help. They know that both parents add value at work and at home, and I hope they’ll carry that into their own lives and families as they grow up.
What is the biggest challenge of being a working mom?
Time. I am so conscious of how quickly my kids are growing up and of the fact that this time with them is not something I can ever get back.
I try to keep that perspective at the center of every decision I make as it relates to how I spend my time so that when they reflect back on their childhoods, they’ll remember that we were together in the important moments.
If you had a magic wand, what one thing would you change about working mom life?
The perception that career and motherhood need to be compartmentalized. This is improving, but is still a thing, particularly with corporate roles.
Working Moms are often expected to delineate between Mom life and work life, almost as if we have to turn off the Mom role when at work and vice versa for home.
In reality, they’re fully integrated parts of us and we cannot show up as one without also reflecting the other. I regularly switch back and forth throughout the day based on what needs to happen at work and at home, and this reality needs to be normalized and accepted – that’s really what flexibility looks like for me as a working parent.
What tips do you have for other working moms?
- Find your village and lean on it. Be a critical part of other Moms’ villages too.
- Know that “no” is a complete sentence sometimes, and use it when you need to.
- Be relentless in the pursuit of your own mental and physical wellness.
- Know that time is your most valuable asset and plan accordingly when you decide how you’ll spend it.
- Give yourself the same grace you extend to others. Remind yourself regularly that it’s all going to be okay.
Any relationship tips for working moms?
I regularly remind myself that life is full of seasons and not all relationships can be prioritized in all seasons. This is okay.
Know the non-negotiable relationships in your life – the ones that fill you up and make you whole – and put your time and energy into nurturing and sustaining those.
What's the best piece of advice your own mother gave you?
People will always remember how you made them feel. You’ll never regret taking the high road. In short, be kind! (She has also believed in me so fully all my life, no matter what I’ve tried to achieve – this has been the greatest and most impactful gift, and I try to give the same to my own children every day.)
What stresses you out?
I am my own worst critic, and I can get stuck in my head a lot, second guessing decisions and worrying that I haven’t performed to my potential or that I haven’t set my kids up to be resilient, confident humans who can thrive in this complex world.
I am a work in progress, and I’m learning to do my best and let the rest go.
How do you mother yourself?
- Getting lost in a book
- A glass of good wine.
- Time on the tennis court.
- Chasing sunsets.
Why and how do you use CBD?
I am learning so much more about this thanks to inspiring brands like Motherbar, and I intend to take many moments as I continue to define my ideal state of working motherhood. Thank you for inviting me to reflect on this important topic!
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