With Mother’s Day just a few weeks behind us and Father’s Day not far around the corner, I decided there was no better way to embrace the six-week interlude than with an informal sit down with our Parents of LiveIntent ERG Leaders. The five parents range in ERG leadership experience, job function, tenure, and, of course, children. The pandemic affected the lives of all of us in one way or another, but it’s no secret that those who faced some of the biggest and newest challenges are parents and caregivers. I sat down with this incredible group of individuals to learn more about how and why this group has impacted its members.
The Parents of LiveIntent ERG has become a place of camaraderie, knowledge sharing, and in some aspects, a place of refuge. One of the leaders, both new in ERG leadership and to motherhood, mentioned that she often feels she lives a double life. One life that colleagues and friends see as a creative strategist and a smile through a screen and then the other life, the reality of what’s happening off-camera. The mess of toys and clothes, the fact that every moment not working is spent on her child, and every moment not with her child are spent on work, leaving no time to take care of herself and her needs. During these meetings, she and other parents and caregivers alike can shed their shields and share their authentic truths.
WFH tips from Parents of LiveIntent
A mother and long-time co-chair of the ERG mentioned that it’s been crucial for parents and caregivers to have the opportunity to discuss how they’re handling childcare, activities, and time with family and friends. During these meetings, the group can listen, learn, help one another, and know that they’re not alone in their struggles. One father and ERG leader described the open discussions as “therapeutic and a way to let off steam to a neutral third party.”
The number of parents and caregivers at LiveIntent has increased significantly over the last few years, creating a group with different experiences and diverse circumstances. This diversity enables the group to access a wealth of perspectives and viewpoints on parenting, an essential need for parents since, as one father puts it, “we’re in charge of ramping up the next generation of great people.”
LiveIntent recently adopted Flexible PTO and eliminated the distinction between primary and secondary caregivers to support all parents equally. I hope that more parents and caregivers looking for work see what LiveIntent has to offer: A place where they can access an abundance of resources and support, where they are seen and heard and are not alone.
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