I am listener and confidante, quick thinker and discretionary advisor, negotiator and mitigator. I serve as “The Go-to,” oftentimes the first line of defense in my children’s lives. Twenty-four years of parenting has gifted me a broadened self-concept, expounding upon characteristics I may have never encountered otherwise. Yet, parlaying my mothering experience into the corporate workplace doesn’t appear to hold much gravitas.
While statistics confirm women receive pay incommensurate with equal positions to their male counterparts, mothers re-entering the workforce fare considerably worse as antiquated bias prevails. Whether perceived as technologically unprepared or possessing overriding maternal obligation, moms bear the brunt of a system unawake in its understanding of the value offered by their presence.
Degreed in Elementary Special Education, with an occasional foray into sales, I’ve accrued numerous hours observing, deducing and processing visible human traits and foibles while subsequently coming to know my own. Motherhood expanded my awareness of connection and interaction, recognizing potentialities and weaknesses, creating a juncture between logic and emotion. Research in the workplace has conceded differences in the way men and women express Emotional Intelligence; facets comprising empathy, motivation, respect and problem-solving without blame, reflect attributes honed and generated by receptive mothers worldwide.
It might prove an egregious miscalculation to rule out the distinctive qualities of women whose stay-at-home choices and responsibilities render them viably advantageous, particularly in the area of ‘people skills.’ As president of Rainmaker Thinking, author Bruce Tulgan states, “No matter what you do for a living, unless you want your productive capacity to be limited to your own time and energy forevermore, you are going to have to be great at interacting with people.”
Cindy Weinstein currently holds a bachelor’s degree in Special Education and has worked primarily with the deaf preschool and elementary population. She feels grateful for having witnessed, on numerous occasions, the unique gifts and talents offered by the students in her care. Cindy is our ground reporter for Medford, New Jersey.
from Medford, New Jersey
This Room isn’t going to clean itself
By Cindy Weinstein
Cindy Weinstein