On Mother’s Day #callmom and start a new conversation

When my children were younger, Mother’s Day was filled with homemade cards, breakfast in bed and fresh handpicked flowers on the kitchen table. As they grew up, Mother’s Day began to take on new meaning.

For example, as the mother of four grown ‘children’ our conversations have evolved over the years. I noticed a particular change in our conversations when they entered the workforce.

There was a desire to understand more about how to handle certain situations in the workplace and to learn from my own experience.

I’ve had several conversations with both of my daughters who sought advice on how to handle a co-worker or manager who pushed the boundaries of propriety, or what to do when they learned a male peer earned significantly more than them, for doing the same work. 

While a lot has changed in the workplace over the years, we all know much more needs to be done. Thankfully these issues have been raised to new heights of awareness due to movements like #MeToo, #TimesUp and #EqualPay. The conversations that need to take place are happening more and more around the conference room table and the kitchen table.

In that spirit, we brought together mothers and their adult age children for a new conversation -- one they haven’t had before now. We wanted to tap in to the wisdom working mothers have based on their experiences in the workplace.

The conversations are profound, and the conversations need to continue because there are many issues working women face every day.

Have you asked yourself, what else can you learn from your Mom that you’ve never asked her?

This Mother’s Day, we’re reminding everyone to #callmom and start a new conversation. There’s no better gift you can give her than to listen to and learn from her story.

Here are a few questions to jump start a new conversation:

1. Tell me about a time when you we were most vulnerable, strong or passionate?
2. What’s the single thing you would do differently if you could go back in time and why?
3. Do you think it was easier or harder to be a mother than it was for your mom and why?
4. What do you like most about our connection and why?
5. What has surprised you most about how your life has unfolded and why?

For inspiration, we’ve asked two popular online mothers to share the best advice they’ve received from their mother, or the best advice they’ve given as a mother and here is what they want to share:

"My mom’s best advice to me was to know that anything is possible if you set your mind to it and you don't give up. If you believe in something, don't be afraid to fail and try again. If it were easy, everyone would do it!” – Mary Heffernan, Five Mary’s Farms

“The best advice I’ve received as a new mom, from my own mom, is that it gets easier. Every part of motherhood feels tough at times, from the sleepless nights with a newborn to navigating life with a sick baby to simply trying to keep up with laundry. Time and time again I always remind myself of that simple piece of advice - it only gets easier and it always reassures me.” –Caitlin Kruse, The Mama Notes

We believe that great things happen when people connect for good. Connect with your Mom this Mother’s Day by starting a conversation you haven’t had with her before now.

#callmom

What conversation are you going to start with mom on Mother’s Day? Help us all learn from what she has to offer by using #callmom on Twitter or Instagram and sharing the advice she’s given you, or that you’ve given as a mother.