Swine Flu (H1N1) and the Working Mother
by Liz O’Donnell (Boston)
While health officials scramble to control an influx of questions, guidelines and cases related to swine flu, or the H1N1 virus, another demographic is impacted–working parents. Schools have been closing all over the country. In Boston, at least six schools closed. In New York City, 16 schools closed. Entire districts have been shut down in Texas. Even in areas where the schools have remained open, students showing any flu-like symptoms have been asked to stay home for seven days. How do working parents, and especially professional women, manage their careers and their family-life under extenuating circumstances such as these?
Katherine Chalmers, a software marketing manager, is also the mother of two toddlers. Chalmers and her attorney husband have what they describe as a “carefully choreographed schedule that goes completely to hell when one of the kids gets sick.”
When that does happen, Chalmers and her husband choose from a number of options. Sometimes, one of them chooses to work from home. But Chalmers is quick to point out that this can be difficult with little children underfoot. Chalmers’ children are 14 months and 2 years old. “Working at home is very difficult,” she says. “They are not at an age they can play by themselves.”
Since working from home can be challenging, sometimes Chalmers splits the work day with her husband. She will go into work in the morning and he will go in the afternoon.” It’s easier for him to go in later in the day. My office is closer to our house. I can bring the computer home in the afternoon and he can go in later and stay a little later.”
When missing work is just not an option, or the children are sick for several days, Chalmers has several additional options. “My husband’s firm has a backup daycare program that allows for sick child care up to 5 or 10 days a year. Their staff is not that great, but okay if we absolutely can’t stay home or split the day,” says Chalmers. “A couple of times I’ve had to ask neighbors to watch the kids for a few hours. We’re very lucky to have such good friends.”
Despite having a variety of options, Chalmers still thinks she could manage sick days more effectively. “I’m looking for advice,” she says.
There may not be any better advice. Having several different back up plans is key. Betty Sullivan, who has experience on both sides of the issue, both as a mother of seven children, and as the president of a company, says it takes “serious networking” to prepare for sick children as a working parent. “I always sought out multiple sick daycares,” says Sullivan. “I would have three back-ups. I met teenage girls at the grocery store with their mothers. I knew college students at the local pool. I knew the stay at home mom’s that would take my son only on Tuesdays. I knew the empty nester older women from local churches and such.”
While raising her children, Sullivan worked in a venture capital firm. Today, she is the president of Architectural Ceramics, Inc, a tile company. “It’s astounding when the staff doesn’t have contingency plans,” she says. “Sixty women work for me now, and they assume they are the ones that have to stay home. Women have just as important jobs as men do.” she says. “Tell your husbands too bad and set it up from the beginning of the marriage.”
Lauren Stiller Rikleen, a partner with Bowditch Dewey, and the executive director of Bowditch Institute for Women’s Success, which helps professional service firms attract and retain women professionals, learned that lesson in law school.
“A class was cancelled,” she says. “At the next class the professor said, ‘I’m sorry to have cancelled class.’ He told us his child had been sick and his wife, a partner in a law firm, had clients flying in that day. ‘I had the most flexible day,’ he said. I remember it as a very valuable teaching moment.”
Stiller Rikleen says she and her husband, also a partner at a law firm, have always managed parenting and career that way. “We always looked at who had the most flexible schedule.”
