“Raising Cassie and Jesse is hands down the greatest ride of my life. I’m also married mom to Bentley Boo, an 80 pound rescue who thinks he’s a lap dog. There’s no way to be a perfect mom, but there are a million ways to be a good one!”
Like a lot of working moms I know, I was so focused on my career that I almost missed out on my lifelong dream of having kids. I’ve been a professional entertainer since I was a small child, voicing American favorites Rainbow Brite, My Little Pony, Madagascar’s “Gloria the Hippo” in all of the video games and live shows; singing on children’s albums and scores; performing live; writing and recording my own music…the list goes on. Along the way, I also learned about business from my dad, a graduate of Harvard Business School. He and I worked together at a start-up company created to bridge the digital divide in minority communities. Like many of you, I learned to balance multiple endeavors at once, but nothing matches the delicate balance of career and motherhood.
I am the multicultural daughter of an Air Force intelligence officer turned financial executive, whose work and accomplishments in the area of diversity, spanning from the civil rights era to his passing, rightfully earned him a place in the encyclopedia (yeah, it’s a mouthful and I was being brief!), and a working mom who gave me an exceptionally happy childhood complete with home-cooked meals, arts and crafts, special birthdays, and lots of quality time together. Without question I learned the most important life lessons from my parents.
Now I’m the married mom of two incredible little ones, ages 8 and 10. Soon after my son was born, I returned to the working world as the host of Parenting Magazine Live! I also continued voicing McDonald’s commercials (I sing “Da da da da da, I’m loving it!”), a recurring character on The Cartoon Network’s Ben 10, and my favorite sassy hippo, Gloria. Amidst all of this, I learn more everyday about being a hands-on mom.
With a platform that reaches millions, Working Mother Magazine is an unrivaled source for information that matters to those balancing work and family. The special challenges faced by working mothers inspire and excite me, and my role as Editor-at-Large and host of Working Mother Radio lets me connect with other moms meeting those challenges everyday. The generation that grew up listening to my voice as their favorite animated friend now generously allows me to be their voice as we explore the ups and downs we all face as working mothers. It’s as authentic, real, and genuine as it gets.
One of the things that I love about my career is that it gives me access to experts with so much insight. As a mom, I know that an outlet to that information can be life-changing, so I launched The Motherhood Corner website as a way of bringing those experts to all of you. I wanted The Motherhood Corner to be a place for moms to obtain and share information, and support each other. We’re all in this together.
Although my career is very important to me, my greatest joy and rewards are found everyday in raising my kids. From watching Jesse take his first steps to experiencing Cassie’s first pony ride, I don’t want to miss a thing. To be honest, being a mom can feel, at times, like you are working unforgiveable hours for a thankless boss, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. When things get tough, we have a community of support among other working mothers. I want to be a resource for other hardworking moms who are often tired, sometimes overwhelmed, but always honored to hold the most important position in the world.
Are you also a working mom who could use a place for tips, community and a helping hand? Visit Motherhood Corner, your go-to spot for all things mommy!
