The Untrended Podcast: S 02 | Ep 4 – Working parents: the good, the bad, and the baffling

Working parents: the good, the bad, and the baffling

In this episode of Untrended, Nic sits down with CEO Jon Lonsdale, CSO Billy Hamilton-Stent, and Creative Director Jamie Fewery to talk juggling parenthood with work.

Pub Pro job titles aside, these four bring different expertise and experience when it comes to having kids; Nic is eight months pregnant at the time of recording (making her now newborn son our youngest ever podcast guest), Jamie’s coming out of the early years trenches, Billy’s got teenagers, and Jon’s kids are living it large at university.

Our Managing Partner, Katie Popsichil, also joins Nic – remotely, because that’s the fitting reality of being a working mum – to discuss the extra pressures mothers in the workplace face.

The working parent balancing act

There’s no denying that being a parent and having a professional career are both full-time jobs, so how does anyone do both?

Some private companies are starting to lessen the load by introducing longer maternity and paternity leave, as well as financial support for childcare, but as we chat through our different experiences of becoming a parent it becomes clear that there’s still a long way to go.

In this episode, we get together to share advice that lasts the ages. Think proper words of wisdom, not the latest trend taking over your Instagram algorithm, nor the books you crammed in a “omg I’m having a baby” panic. Tune in to hear us chat about:

• The art of scrambling through, be that getting your sleep-deprived brain to an important meeting or getting your adult-sized body through the tunnels of a soft play area.
  
• How to accept that things won’t be perfect. Forget about folding your baby’s socks, getting through a Zoom meeting without interruption, and coming first in the parents’ race at Sports Day.
  
• What it can feel like to suddenly swap tricky client amends, late nights before the big pitch, and faffy timesheets for nappy changes, early wake ups, and fiddly baby formula.

The tax on mothers

Before you start scratching your head, yes, we address the big elephant in the room. This episode might start with Nic getting advice from three dads, but Katie is also on-hand to discuss the unique experiences of being a working mother.

The pair talk managing the heavy load of infertility, miscarriage, pregnancy, and motherhood all while showing up at work. They also discuss how it feels when you start maternity leave and don’t need to show up at work: the shift in your sense of purpose, feeling isolated, and the fear of falling behind in your career.

Words of wisdom

To give you a flavour of the sort of advice we’ll be sharing, we’ve asked some fellow Pub Pro parents for their top tips:

“The hardest part of being a working parent is showing up fully at work and at home, without feeling like one comes at the expense of the other. For me, it’s about drawing a clear line between the two and being disciplined with my time, leaving work a little earlier to be present with my son, even if that means finishing a few things later in the evening. It’s about carving out meaningful time for both and being intentional about where my energy goes.“

Wendy Owen, Senior Account Director and Mum

Whether you’re a parent looking for decent advice, a colleague wanting to see things from a different perspective, or you’re just tired and in need of laugh, this episode has got you covered.

Listen on Apple.

Listen on Spotify.

Watch on YouTube.