Stats on working moms

Working moms are happy:78% of working moms call themselves fulfilled
Most working mothers have NOT sidelined their ambitions:62% describe themselves as "very ambitious"
75% of working moms feel their bosses ARE supportive of their family needs
69% had asked for changes at work: among those, 74% got the changes they asked for (most of those requests were for more flexibility¦flextime, shorter or modified hours, etc.)Flextime and telecommuting are the two benefits that working moms most valueMore than 70% of mothers made changes in their work after having their child: the most common were shifting their hours or working from home (25% arranged to work from home)
About 28% of these working moms left the workforce for a period, but 58% were back to work within a year
About a third found it easier than they expected to find a new job after leaving the workforce: About a third found it harder

Moms are managing to squeeze a little time for themselves:27% exercise 1-2 times a week
31% exercise 3 or more times a week
98% of moms have some sort of hobby (if you include socializing)
46% spend 1-5 hours a month on their hobby; 27% spend 6; 19% spend more than 10 hours

Communities, schools, could offer more support:Most working mothers would like to volunteer at their school more, but 66% say their school's volunteer schedule makes it difficult for working mothers to pitch in48% of working mothers said they feel isolated from their community, but only 35% said they feel isolated at workDads could offer more support, too: 68% of fathers did NOT take any child-related leave at all, paid or unpaid. However, dads are definitely pitching in with childcare: While only 6% of dads are the primary childcare providers, 21% of moms say their husband is their top backup solution

A few interesting facts on childcare:

For moms whose kids are not in school:45% use a daycare center as their primary childcare solution
17% use a small family-home based daycare
12% use their own family
12% use nannies or babysitters
6% say their husband is their primary childcare solution

For moms whose kids are not in school, for their SECONDARY/BACKUP solution:
44% rely on relatives
21% on their husband
19% can work from home and watch their child
12% use a childcare center
10% use a nanny or babysitte

rFor moms whose kids are in school:
20% use an aftercare program at school
20% use an aftercare program through a childcare center
12% rely on their husbands
10% rely on a babysitter or nanny
7% say their kids watch themselves
7% arrive home from work before their child arrives home from school

Most children of working mothers spend an average of 23 hours a week in childcare:
37% spend fewer than 10 hours a week in childcare
27% spend 40 hours or more in childcareOn average, working mothers spent $700 a month on childcare
89% of working mothers are somewhat or very satisfied with their childcare solution

Making takout Helathier

Many families, especially numerous ones, like to order out a lot. But, as I recently learned, it is possible to make takeout healthier!

Make takeout lighter and leaner by adding quick things from home like a bag of prewashed salad greens or microwavable frozen or canned vegetables, suggests Linda Spangle, RN, a weight-loss coach in Broomfield, CO, and author of 100 Days of Weight Loss. Many restaurants serve up huge portions, so order one entree to split between two or three people. Another trick: Call in your order midafternoon instead of after work, when you're tired, stressed, starving and more likely to make unhealthy choices. Some other tips to keep in mind the next time you order from your favorite restaurant:

Chinese

Pick Steamed or stir-fried dishes cooked with little to no oil (many places will do this if you ask). Serve with a slotted spoon to drain sauce. Best bets: chicken, tofu or shrimp, steamed with the sauce on the side; hot-and-sour or wonton soup (often low-fat); fiber-rich steamed brown rice. Skip Deep-fried and/or sauce-coated items like egg rolls, General Tsao's chicken, sesame chicken or sweet-and-sour beef.

Japanese

Pick Sushi, which is low in fat and calories (if you want to avoid raw fish, choose California or veggie rolls instead); chicken or salmon teriyaki; steamed (not fried) dumplings; edamame; broth-based soups like miso; salads with vinegar dressing. Skip Sushi made with mayo, such as Boston rolls; deep-fried tempura dishes, which are high in fat.

Italian

Pick Pasta with a tomato-based sauce; grilled (not fried) eggplant or chicken Parmesan; pizza topped with vegetables or barbecued chicken.Skip Cream-based sauces like Alfredo; fried zucchini or calamari; pepperoni or meatball pizza.

Mexican

Pick Soft-shell tacos; salsa; fajitas and burritos with no more than one or two toppings like sour cream, cheese and guacamole—or sub low-fat sour cream and shredded cheese at home. Skip Refried beans; fried taco shells.Supermarket ready-made mealsPick Rotisserie or grilled chicken with skin removed; grilled or steamed salmon and veggies; salad (minus croutons, cheese and bacon); fruit. Skip Fried chicken; barbecued spareribs; side dishes like fries or onion rings.

Five steps to the life you want!

Here's a five-step strategy to help you get the life you truly desire.1: Tell yourself you CAN do it. We all have that little voice in our head telling us that our ideal lives are ridiculous or out of reach, says Laura Berman Fortgang, a best-selling author. "Most of the time the things we tell ourselves that we can't do are really stuff we just make up," says Fortgang. No time. No money. No know-how. And what about the kids? Most of us can come up with a laundry list of excuses, because change is scary. By definition it disrupts, affecting not just ourselves but also the circle of those close to us, says coach Jennifer Corbin, founder of The Balance Studio (www.the balancestudio.com). You need to decide that you're going to ignore naysayers when you're in the construction phase of your life plan. To get past your excuses and fears, life coaches suggest, ask yourself this simple question: If it were impossible to fail, what would I be doing? When Sharon Geraghty answered that question, the accountant realized she wanted to own her own fabric store and teach sewing. Everyone told her that with two toddlers at home, she wouldn't have the time to start a business, never mind put in the long hours it would take to ensure its success. By writing a life plan, she was able to see that no laws dictate that a new business owner can't work a flex schedule. So she kept her shop open to customers for half the day, when her children were in school. In the afternoons she'd pick up her kids, then go home and do the paperwork. Defying skeptics, Sharon's business thrived for almost a decade. 2: Figure out what you really want. This is not an easy step. Three years from now? We're worried about where we're going to be three minutes from now. Take the time to soul-search, and be aware that there's usually a difference between what we want and what we think we should want, says Fortgang. You don't want to spin your wheels working toward career or personal goals that other people or society as a whole says you should want. Fortgang calls this "shoulding" on yourself, and it can be the biggest hurdle to real happiness. So step two requires a reality check. Strip away all the denial, be honest with yourself, and think about what it is you really want—across various aspects of your life. Although a rut is easiest to blame on work, on-the-job frustration is often a signal that other aspects of life are not in alignment, life coaches say. Such raw self-evaluation will give you permission to work toward your own desires regardless of others' expectations. This can be especially difficult for working moms, because we usually place self-care at the bottom of our priority list. "We don't take care of ourselves. We take care of others," adds Fortgang, who is the mother of a 9-year-old and 5-year-old twins.To crystallize your real desires, you have to identify your core values, coaches say. Values are personal and can be anything from a need to be a leader to a wish for greater creative expression or even a simpler day-to-day life. To ID your values, think of a time when you were inspired or excited, says coach Christina Barr of Square One Solutions in Chicago. Write down the details of the story and ask yourself what made you excited. What was important to you about the situation? Notice the values expressed by both the outcome you wanted and the process you took to get there. During what activities do you feel the greatest sense of happiness and fulfillment? What gives you the most satisfaction? What are you most passionate about? Review the discoveries revealed by your answers. List all the values that these situations suggest are important, such as short tasks versus long deadlines and flexibility. Put the list away. After several days, narrow it down to a just a few. The goals on your life plan should support or coincide with these values.When Tracy Levine, a marketing exec at a major bank in New York City and mother of two, wrote her life plan, she thought that after 17 years with the company, she needed a new career. But when she identified her values, she realized that what she really wanted was more time with her kids and to be a leader. Her job wasn't satisfying either value—but her life plan helped her see that she didn't need to quit, she needed to reprioritize. The flexible schedule that came with her position already gave her more time with her kids than a new job probably would. So she decided to use her time better. Now she makes it a point to leave the office by 5:15 p.m. sharp, making her family life a priority. To satisfy her desire for a leadership role, she beefed up her volunteer efforts outside the office and in a parenting group at work. Two years after first developing her life plan, Tracy is still in the same job but feels so much has changed. "A life plan gave me structure," says Tracy. "I didn't make as big a change as I first envisioned. But sometimes not making a drastic change is okay."3: Visualize your new and improved life. Imagine the life that you want. Picture yourself as that independent businesswoman, organic gardener or time-for-brownie-baking mom. You should be able to see the precise details as if you were looking at a painting, says Barr. Exactly what would your day be like? What time would you wake up? Who would you interact with? How long would your day be? What would you spend most of your time doing? Seeing these specifics will help move your vision from dream to reality. If Mary Sutherby had taken the time to focus on the details, she would have realized she didn't really like the picture she was drawing. Mary sold securities and walked away from that fast-paced career when she became a mother. But the stay-at-home life didn't agree with her, either. Assuming that Wall Street and motherhood couldn't mix, she decided to use her journalism degree and turn to writing. However, Mary soon discovered that although a writer's life gave her flexibility, it was also isolating. She found sitting at her computer all day tedious and yearned for the results-driven world of her finance life. If she had truly visualized daily life as a writer, she would have recognized that watercooler chatter mattered and that writing's solitude wasn't for her. With a life plan in hand, Mary realized she liked the independence of selling securities but didn't like the late-night meetings and heavy travel. So she's returning to her old industry, but to a position that is project driven, allowing her to work independently, with limited travel and deadlines, to suit her family's schedule. 4: Map the next Three months to Three years. There is power in putting your vision on paper and then attaching it to a specific timeline. Realize that the structure and timeline of a plan will depend on the individual who writes it. Once your life plan is written, post it where you'll see it every day—by your mirror, on your desk, in the bathroom, on your refrigerator. If a plan sits on a shelf, it rarely becomes realized. Review your plan at least once a month and work on it every two weeks. Also share your plan with other people. It will help you create a support system. Enlist a partner, a friend, a spouse or a coach to ensure you are meeting your ongoing goals. 5: Get the tools you need. After all this honest reflection, you should be more self-aware then ever before. Now it's time to take what you've learned and turn it into action. You've plotted your deadlines—what steps do you need to take to meet them?

By: Cora Daniels

winter blues

During this time of year many moms go through what is known as 'winter blues' .

'Winter blues, also known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD), is a real condition, "a depression that occurs yearly, usually starting in fall or winter and ending in spring or early summer," explains Douglas Jacobs, MD, an associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. The seasonal decrease of daylight may cause an imbalance of the hormone melatonin, which helps regulate our sleep-wake cycle.December, January and February are often the worst months for SAD sufferers. Symptoms include excessive sleeping, difficulty staying awake, overeating, weight gain, fatigue, loss of interest in things you usually like to do and feelings of sadness, apathy and irritability. Women are at a higher risk for SAD, making up 70 to 80 percent of the estimated 10 to 20 percent of Americans who experience it. If your case of SAD is mild, you may get relief by increasing your exposure to sunlight. Take walks outside in the morning and during lunch, sit by a window when you can—while you get ready for work, during your commute or at the office—and take breaks outside or near a window frequently throughout the workday. For more severe cases, research suggests artificial light therapy might help reduce the symptoms of SAD in 50 to 80 percent of sufferers. Further options include psychotherapy and antidepressants. '

By: Michele Bender

Energy Boost for Moms

I absolutely love this article! It is really helpful and practical and totally suited for working moms.

Healthy Mom - Eat For Energy!
How to eat right for an energy boost
By: Michele Bender

Working moms need a lot of stamina—don't we know it. So we need to eat right on the job, something we often don't do. (Your body deserves better than that chips and Diet Coke lunch.) Form healthier habits with energizing tips from Lisa Drayer, RD, a New York City-based nutritionist:

Mix it up

Combine carbohydrates and protein for meals and snacks. Carbs are the main source of energy for your brain and muscles, but if eaten alone they can bring on a sharp blood-sugar rise that's quickly followed by a crash. Combining carbs with protein, which boosts alertness, and a little fat slows the sugar rise to help sustain energy.

Be a grazer

Eat every three to four hours to constantly fuel your body. Going too long without food can cause fatigue.

Keep portions small

Very large meals (especially those high in fat) can leave you sluggish because they demand increased blood flow to the stomach for digestion. That means less blood to other areas, including the brain.

Cook from scratch more often

Limit processed foods because they can contain energy-robbing refined carbohydrates.

Stay hydrated

Sometimes fatigue is a sign of dehydration, so sip water throughout the day to get eight full glasses.

working moms

As a working mom, you are fully qualified to perform professionally in many different career fields. You could hit the lecture circuit as the leading expert on time management. You're a expert on diplomacy, both chauffer and chef extraordinaire, triage nurse, concierge, teacher, janitorial services consultant and the list goes on ad infinitum.

With a daily calendar that regularly has more "Appointments and To Do's" than your schedule system provides lines for, ... the day just gets more interesting as it progresses. The first call is from your 10 year old asking you to bring that homework assignment or project he's left at home, and the second call is the school nurse calling to let you know that the healthy happy 7 year old you sent to school this morning is now running a temperature of 101.6. Then there's the conference with the Math Teacher, the soccer practice, the doctor's appointment for the 101.6 temperature and let's not forget the goals and expectations from your job. By the way, ... your children have used up all your sick days, so if you do get sick,....well,...let's just say you'll be missed.

This is a day in the life of a working mother and the scary part is that it's not that far off base. This page, as it develops, will try to serve as a resource with information designed to make your life a little easier.

Maternity leave considerations

Decide on a return-to-work date. Discuss with your employer your options for how much time you can take for maternity leave. You might not have the luxury of deciding whether or not to return to work, but you can take as much time as you're allowed. Choose a day that's later in the week to make your first week back to work a short one.

Find dependable child care. The thought of leaving your newborn in someone else's care can be troubling. Finding a reliable child care provider whom you trust can ease your mind considerably. Your child care options range from individual in-home care to a child care center.
Give yourself time to research facilities in your area and to get on waiting lists, if necessary.

Have a talk with your boss. Discuss your job duties and schedule so you'll know what's expected of you when you return. If your workplace offers some flexibility, ask about flexible hours or working from home on occasion. Be prepared to suggest ways of making a more flexible arrangement work.