Mother’s Day Thoughts from a Political Mom

May 9, 2009

 

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By New York City Council Member, Melinda Katz- Courtsey of The Huffington Post

As a single mother whose day job is that of a New York City Council Member and who also happens to be running for office, I thought Mother’s Day would be a good time to share my story on balancing work and motherhood on the campaign trail.

Like many women in New York — and throughout the country for that matter — I’m all too accustomed to the challenges, trials and tribulations of balancing work with motherhood. Suffice it to say, I’ve learned more than I could have ever anticipated since the birth of my son Carter just over a year ago. Most of the challenges I face are not unique to me and, quite frankly, have nothing to do with my position as an elected official. They range from the purely mundane to moments of “crisis” (a word that, of course, becomes a much too frequent member of the lexicon for new mothers).

How do I best fit my work schedule around his? How much can I get done during his naps/at night? Am I overpaying for childcare? Do I try to come home during lunch if I can? What do I do if the nanny gets sick?

But there are some things I face that are somewhat unique to the life of a single mom politician. One thing you learn as a candidate or sitting official is that everything becomes a political issue. If I have to bring Carter with me — to an event, to City Hall for an emergency session — do I have to think twice about being accused of using him as a political prop, or do I decide to take whatever comes because I need to do what’s best for my kid? Do I heed the advice of political consultants who tell me I should mention being a mother as much as possible? Having conceived through in vitro fertilization, do I answer personal questions from reporters who ask about Carter’s parentage? Regardless of whether I answer or choose not to, I run the risk of having my answer become politicized.

I have no illusions about the double-standard women face when they run for elected office, and I chose my career — and, more recently, to run for the position of NYC Comptroller — in spite of that. Male politicians, after all, never get asked if their familial commitments take away from their ability to do their job. And they rarely get scrutinized for using photos of their family on their website. I, however, face this all the time. And as much as I harbor hope that my son grows up in a world where that bias melts away, I’m a pragmatist and I’m well aware of the advantages that being a woman can bring.

One of those advantages is perspective. I like to say that everything is a woman’s issue — we just bring a different perspective to it. And right now I think there aren’t enough public officials who understand and champion the perspective of working mothers.

Ultimately, I’m not just running as a woman or a mom. I’m running as a lawyer, a legislator, a skilled negotiator, a product of public schools, a New Yorker with great experience and compelling ideas about how to better steward the City’s finances through this tumultuous period. But for the part of me that is running as a mom, I’m eager to hear what others think about the often imperfect balance between work and motherhood. Please share your experiences and your questions, and I look forward to sharing more of mine.

Thanks for reading, and again, Happy Mother’s Day.

 

To read more about Melinda Katz, visit:

http://www.council.nyc.gov/d29/html/members/home.shtml

To support or contribute to Melinda in her campaign, visit:

http://www.melindakatzforny.com

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