About Us


Hi all, just wanted to welcome you to the Working Moms Support Blog. This is a new interface that we are trying in lieu of face to face lunch and learns, knowing that so many of you are trying prioritize your work, your homes, activities, families, etc.



This is a forum where we can openly and respectfully discuss concerns, problems, ideas, questions and thoughts about everything from infants to elders, work and family, and all life's other components.



Thank you for visiting and sharing your time, advice and expertise with us!



Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Stats on Dads

Hey all, I know this is technically a working "moms" blog but thought I would share some interesting statistics about dads. My disclaimer is that this information obviously doesn't apply to all dads but does give us some perspective around the struggles that dads feel when trying to balance family and career!

According to a national poll from Workplace Options, a provider of work-life programs and employee benefits the poll results are as follows:
  • More than two-thirds of working fathers (68%) have experienced negativity or problems with their current employer due to conflicts between their job and duties as a caregiver; 57% reported that it has happened multiple times with this employer.
  • Nearly half of employed fathers (48%) said they spend less than a quarter of the day (six hours) with their children — a stark contrast to 31% of working mothers who reported the same time constraints due to their job.
  • Substantially more fathers reported that they frequently take time off of work to deal with child- and family-related issues than did mothers (56% vs. 40%).
About four out of 10 fathers in the workforce (39%) said the demands of their current job detract from their ability to interact with and support children and family.

According to the Workplace Options survey, 70% of employed fathers considered their current employer to be understanding of their family responsibilities. However, 43% also reported their current employer could provide more tools, programs or assistance to help them balance their roles at work with those at home.

We at Ohio State have more work to do in helping support moms and dads on their quest to strike work life balance but in the meantime, cheers to all parents who try hard to find creative ways to have a career you love while spending time with the people you love!

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Caregiving

I wanted to post about caregiving and try to get a sense of who out there is giving care to someone (or multiple people) on both ends of the age spectrum; meaning a child and an elderly adult. I know that caregiving for elders is a big issue for lots of faculty and staff here at OSU and everywhere. If you find yourself struggling in that role I'm wondering if you could share some of the specifics around the struggles and we could try to help each other, either through advice on the blog or perhaps I could coordinate a workshop to address the most pressing needs that caregivers are experiencing.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Water Safety

Now that Memorial Day is over and most personal/public pools are open, and lakes, rivers and ocean water is warming up, I wanted to send out some information on water safety from the American Academy of Pediatrics. It's always good to read through the reminders when it comes to big and small bodies of H2O! Enjoy and happy swimming!!

POOL SAFETY
Source: http://www.aap.org/family/tipppool.htm
  • Never leave children alone in or near the pool or spa, even for a moment.
  • Install a fence at least 4 feet high around all four sides of the pool. The fence should not have openings or protrusions that a young child could use to get over, under, or through.
  • Make sure pool gates open out from the pool, and self-close and self-latch at a height children can't reach.
  • If the house serves as the fourth side of a fence surrounding a pool, install an alarm on the exit door to the yard and the pool.
  • Keep rescue equipment (a shepherd's hook - a long pole with a hook on the end - and life preserver) and a portable telephone near the pool. Choose a shepherd’s hook and other rescue equipment made of fiberglass or other materials that do not conduct electricity.
  • Avoid inflatable swimming aids such as “floaties.” They are not a substitute for approved life vests and can give children and parents a false sense of security.
  • Children ages 1 to 4 may be at a lower risk of drowning if they have had some formal swimming instruction. However, there is no evidence that swimming lessons or water survival skills courses can prevent drowning in babies younger than 1 year of age.
  • The decision to enroll a 1- to 4-year-old child in swimming lessons should be made by the parent and based on the child’s developmental readiness, but swim programs should never be seen as “drown proofing” a child of any age.
  • Whenever infants or toddlers are in or around water, an adult – preferably one who knows how to swim and perform CPR – should be within arm’s length, providing “touch supervision.”
  • Avoid entrapment: Suction from pool and spa drains can trap a swimmer underwater. Do not use a pool or spa if there are broken or missing drain covers.  Ask your pool operator if your pool or spa’s drains are compliant with the Pool and Spa Safety Act.  If you have a swimming pool or spa, ask your pool service representative to update your drains and other suction fitting with anti-entrapment drain covers and other devices or systems. See PoolSafely.gov for more information on the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act.
  • Large inflatable above-ground pools have become increasingly popular for backyard use. Children may fall in if they lean against the soft side of an inflatable pool. Although such pools are often exempt from local pool fencing requirements, it is essential that they be surrounded by an appropriate fence just as a permanent pool would be so that children cannot gain unsupervised access.
BOATING SAFETY
Source: http://www.aap.org/family/tippslip.htm
  • Children should wear life jackets at all times when on boats or near bodies of water.
  • Make sure the life jacket is the right size for your child. The jacket should not be loose. It should always be worn as instructed with all straps belted.
  • Blow-up water wings, toys, rafts and air mattresses should not be used as life jackets or personal flotation devices. Adults should wear life jackets for their own protection, and to set a good example.
  • Adolescents and adults should be warned of the dangers of boating when under the influence of alcohol, drugs, and even some prescription medications.
OPEN WATER SWIMMING
  • Never swim alone. Even good swimmers need buddies!
  • A lifeguard (or another adult who knows about water rescue) needs to be watching children whenever they are in or near the water. Younger children should be closely supervised while in or near the water – use “touch supervision,” keeping no more than an arm’s length away. 
  • Make sure your child knows never to dive into water except when permitted by an adult who knows the depth of the water and who has checked for underwater objects.
  • Never let your child swim in canals or any fast moving water.
  • Ocean swimming should only be allowed when a lifeguard is on duty.