Summary: We routinely refer to the actions and thoughts of people from the six economic sectors of society: government, education, business, health, media, and the non-profit sector. A functioning society depends on these sectors to operate, but what about the nucleus around which all these sectors revolve? Families. In today’s show, my daughter and I put the process for determining mom's value to the test, I wanted to share some of my personal thoughts about the role of mothers who (like the six sectors) we are all dependent upon to make life work. Every year in the time surrounding Mother’s Day in the United States, stories pop up all over the news letting us know that the ten or more functions a mother performs in her every day are now worth X amount of dollars. According to Salary.com, in 2009 "the job titles that best matched a mom's definition of her work are (in order of hours spent per week): housekeeper, day care center teacher, cook, computer operator, facilities manager, van driver, psychologist, laundry machine operator, janitor, and chief executive officer." And for her efforts, her annual salary would equate to $122,732 for a stay-at-home mom. Working moms 'at-home' salary is $76,184. Is that all? My first daughter, Stefanie, and I developed a unique dynamic starting from when she was born at home and began with Suzuki violin and dance lessons at two years old. A veteran performer by four years old, she auditioned for a regional production of the musical “George M!”, was cast, given a solo, and sang to the 1300 people in the theatre five days a week for a month. Turns out, she loved it. And from that point on, my kid became a working professional. Dozens more shows, commercials, and television followed. We were in the greater Los Angeles area after all, so it wasn’t too unusual an after-school activity for kids her age. What I was clear about from the beginning, was that after food, clothing, and shelter, my job was to consistently keep her wins and losses in perspective so that she learned early about how to take no for an answer and keep moving. I was told often by others, though, that she would be scarred for life because of the numbers of rejections she would have to endure. It was, in fact, the opposite that happened. She became mature and self-confident knowing she wasn't being personally rejected, but that sometimes she just wasn’t what they needed for the part, and that was true about life. Learning to win, to lose, and to take direction shaped her for the better. As the CEO and CCO (Chief Connectivity Officer) of the family, I multiplied the value of family resources by focusing on providing experiences for Stefanie and her sister instead of buying stuff. Yes, my husband worked hard to provide us with every basic thing we needed, but he was a teacher, not an oil baron. I felt that I was the best person to hold an integrated, comprehensive, view of who they were and wanted to become, and keep a stable, safe environment around them so they could learn and grow. As the most heralded leaders are lauded for, I executed my long-term plan efficiently, on budget, exceeded expectations and no one got sued in the end! (What’s with so many child actors and their parents?) The idea is that my job at the micro level, of being part of a team that raised two kids, was never the beginning or end of my life cycle, but a huge part of the middle. Further I knew it would be the primary way in which I could contribute greater value to marketplace over the long term—leaving two thoughtful, articulate, capable thinkers to make their mark. Their education, in and out of the classroom, was not left to chance. What responsible CEO would leave employee training up in the air? Their skill sets were constantly being reinforced and grown, with the knowledge that it is exceedingly more difficult to unlearn and relearn something than it is to learn it right the first time. So some things took more time to achieve. Do
