Show Notes: Ep. 25 – A Working Moms Panel

August 31, 2022

We’ve all heard it – The Mommy Wars. Despite our best efforts, there always seems to be an underlying case of “who did it better”?  One of the areas where we see this crop up frequently is within circles of working mothers. 

Is it better to work out of the house or to be a stay-at-home mom? What if you work in the home and still try to manage taking care of your children? Is that even a realistic possibility? What if you choose not to work at all? It’s an endless cycle filled with societal pressure and copious amounts of mom guilt. And we’re here to jump smack dab into the middle of the conversation today!

Host Britt Nikel Smith chats with three different mamas – Anne Boedges, Jackie Hayes, and Ainsley Hoover – about their unique career stories and the way they’re raising their families with intention. They share the challenges and blessings that accompany their choices and have a candid conversation about mom guilt and the ways it affects everyone. 

Ainsley Hoover is a Mama of two blonde, rambunctious boys. She is a Texas-raised transplant, now living her dream life in Oklahoma. She is a teacher turned WFH Mom in order to help provide a better work-life balance for herself and her family. When she is not busy chasing around her almost 4 and 1.5 year old, she can be found watching sports with her husband, working on jigsaw puzzles, watching reality TV, or reading.


Jackie Hayes is wife to Luke, and a full-time, stay-at-home mom to her two little boys, Liam and Levi. She previously worked as a middle school math teacher, before transitioning to a part-time daycare director, and ultimately, to caring for her boys at home. Whether it be in the classroom, in a daycare, or at home with her boys, childcare has always been a passion of Jackie’s and she’s thankful for the life she’s living alongside her littles now.
Anne Boedges is a busy, working mama with a thriving interior design business, an affinity for running, and a do-it-all attitude! When she’s not designing gorgeous kitchens & baths, she’s coaching cross-country or cheering her kids on in all of their sporting events! She has always had a heart for pursuing her dreams alongside motherhood and is proof that it is possible to do both! Connect with Anne on Instagram and Facebook.

Britt talks with Anne, Jackie, and Ainsley about…

  • Equitable family contributions
  • Societal pressures on motherhood + careers
  • Generational expectations and perceived criticisms
  • Mom guilt
  • Learning to juggle everything according to your own family’s needs
  • Practicing presence in every situation


Quotable:


“I didn’t feel like I was pulling an equitable share. It was either all teacher or all mama and I couldn’t find my footing, so I decided to make the change for myself.” – Ainsley Hoover

“I just hope they feel how much love went into every day with them.” – Jackie Hayes

“Your life doesn’t have to look like someone else. Your work doesn’t have to look like someone else. But we’re all in it together. It’s all worthy work. And at the end of the day, we just want them to know we put all our love into it.” – Britt Smith


Resources mentioned in this episode:

The Mom Hour Podcast

She is Kindred Podcast: Identity, Imposter Syndrome, and Imago Dei 

She is Kindred Podcast: “Practicing Presence in the Pursuit of Dreams”

She is Kindred Podcast: “Permission to Pivot”

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