Setting Realistic Expectations

You’ve heard the story: Motherhood and work are at odds, and women who pursue both have to make endless trade-offs and compromises. And yet, lots of women go for it, with great results for themselves, their families, and their careers. In fact, research suggests that parenting can enrich our careers, and vice versa.

Professors Danna Greenberg and Jamie Ladge talk about the benefits of being a working mom. They share advice around setting expectations, finding child care, asking for help, and advocating for ourselves as kids get older. Then, our fellow HBR editor Erica Truxler checks in with a listener about returning to work after parental leave.

Our HBR reading list:

• Maternal Optimism: Forging Positive Paths through Work and Motherhood, by Jamie Ladge and Danna Greenberg
• “How Working Parents Can Manage the Demands of School-Age Kids,” by Daisy Wademan Dowling
• “How to Launch a Working Parents’ Support Group in Your Organization,” by Daisy Wademan Dowling
• “4 Conversations Every Overwhelmed Working Parent Should Have,” by Joseph Grenny and Brittney Maxfield

Email us: womenatwork@hbr.org
Our theme music is Matt Hill’s “City In Motion,” provided by Audio Network.