From Mom(s), With Love
By Hema Seshadri, Senior Manager – IT
Moms work for Clorox.
They’re our bosses, our teammates, our work wives and friends. They’re part of the fabric that makes Clorox the place it is.
One way I sum up what being a working mom means to me is with a twist on President Lincoln’s famous quote: You can have it all some of the time, you can have some of it all of the time, but you can’t have it all all of the time!
Here, we share snippets of advice from some Clorox moms to help other working parents not only survive, but thrive as they juggle career and family and come out ahead.
Tara Vaishnav
VP, Digital Technology Innovation & Advanced Analytics
Ask for help and don’t feel guilty about it. You don’t need to go it alone. As a working woman, give work your all, but don’t be afraid to say no (or yes, depending on the situation), ask for help or accommodation. Also, be present as a mom as much as you possibly can. Work is work. Don’t miss opportunities to bond with your kids, do stuff with them.
Hilda West
VP, Talent & Culture
My husband and I take turns “leaning in” and “leaning out.” For example, when my children were born, I worked part-time as an HR consultant. When they got into grade school, I got a job as head of HR for a small company, then my husband went part-time and did the afterschool care. We’ve done this a couple of different times in our careers, and we’ve always shared tasks at home equally.
Ashley Roehm
VP, National Accounts
Get over the mom guilt. With my husband staying home taking care of the kids, I wasn’t personally able to go to all their activities, bake treats from scratch or attend all their doctor’s appts. and I used to feel guilty. But I realized that I’m a better mom because I work. Work fulfills me and gives me an outlet for my energy. It may sounds bad, but it’s not. You need to be okay with saying this, which I am today, but it took me awhile. Be kind to yourself.