A perfect picture of your college best friend’s family strolling calmly down the beach in Maui may have been followed by an argument between the two kids, a shell-stubbed toe, and a bird shitting on the mom’s head.
Name:
Kate Pletcher
Current Occupation:
Founder/CEO at Treehouse Partners
# of Children and their Ages:
Cain (son, 8) and Finn (daughter, 6)
What do you love about being a working mom?
My favorite part about being a working mom is that, in addition to being able to provide a good life for my family, I truly believe I serve as a good role model for my kids. My son and daughter have learned, by watching me, that gifts, birthday parties, houses, bikes, vacations, and all the other things we enjoy as a family didn’t just fall out of the sky…
We worked, we earned money, and then we were able to purchase the things we want and need. Furthermore, I get a huge amount of personal satisfaction from the work I do, so I love the fact that I have been able to continue my professional trajectory on top of being a mother...
What is the biggest challenge of being a working mom?
While my kids’ school has a lot of working moms like me, there are plenty who don’t work in traditional professional roles outside the home. Those equally awesome moms are often volunteering in the classroom, do almost all the drop-offs, and wouldn’t dare miss a school event.
I know it’s cliché, but it does break my heart when my kids get sad that I can’t be as involved as some of their peers’ parents at school.
I also find it difficult, at times, to know how to interact with the non-working moms… while we get along on so many levels, there’s a huge part of my life (and a theirs!) that just isn’t aligned.
If you had a magic wand, what one thing would you change about working mom life?
It’s a big ask for a magic wand, but I would change our country’s culture and attitude toward working parents. I don’t know that we need to go full-blown Scandinavia, where women have a year of maternity leave and such, but...
I’d love for motherhood to be seen as our society’s most valued job.
It’d be great to have readily available resources that would help support families, like easy and affordable access to childcare, financial support for necessary time off, and role models in leadership roles who can represent the voice of working moms in government and business.
What tips do you have for other working moms?
I have always had a slightly unusual take on work/life balance. Take, for example, maternity leave. As an entrepreneur, there wasn’t an option for me to take an actual maternity leave… so I reframed my mindset and thought of it as taking my “maternity leave” over the course of the first few years of my kids’ lives.
Yeah, I had to be on email and calls within days of giving birth, but I also scheduled naps on my calendar for the first couple of years of their lives. I am really good at putting down my phone and closing my laptop when I’m with my kids, but they also understand that I sometimes have to spend time working… and they are comfortable reading or doing some other quiet activity during that time.
Finally, don’t try to “keep up with the Joneses.”
Social media, gossip, and even societal expectations can make you feel like you are constantly failing. You’re not. Parenthood is tough. A perfect picture of your college best friend’s family strolling calmly down the beach in Maui may have been followed by an argument between the two kids, a shell-stubbed toe, and a bird shitting on the mom’s head.
Any relationship tips for working moms?
My husband and I work together and we absolutely love it. It’s not for everyone, but, if it’s for you, I’d give it a try. Having a shared to-do list (where we share many family and work responsibilities) allows us to align priorities, adapt to changes quickly, and, simply, get more done. We set aside weekly (calendared!) time to talk through bigger work issues so they don’t bubble up during dinner, and have a deep-dive planning day twice a year to make sure we are setting and adjusting both business and personal goals.
Whether you work together or not, the number one piece of advice I’d give to anyone in a relationship is to find time to talk things through – don’t let grievances fester until they blow.
What’s the best piece of advice your own mother gave you?
My mom is my biggest cheerleader… the best advice she has given me is that I can do anything I set my mind to. Her confidence in that assertion has genuinely helped me power through times where I’ve felt overwhelmed.
What stresses you out?
Our business (recruiting) is a bit of a roller coaster… and it often seems that the really intense periods at work fall right when the kids need me the most.
In those moments, when I am managing So. Many. Spinning. Plates… it’s stressful.
How do you mother yourself?
The number one thing I do is find time at least five times a week to have a really good workout. That just keeps a baseline of endurance, energy, and mental downtime going. The workouts for sure. And the occasional massage. And, of course, wine.
How and why do you take CBD?
I loved the insert in my Moment packaging that advised – no, ordered! – me to take a moment, take a breath, and be present. I think CBD is best used for those times when things feel a little overwhelming and you want to relax your shoulders a bit, find your focus, and carry on.
Please use KATE20 at checkout for 20% off your order of Moment CBD mints made for busy, working moms like Kate whose wise advise is to not worry about "keeping up with the Joneses" on your journey to "do it all."
