"We expect women to work as if they don't have children and raise children as if they don't work, and that is the recipe for guilt for mothers."
This statement by Lauren Smith Brody, in an article for the NY Times, reveals the reality for professional women who have chosen to balance motherhood with their careers.
ES CEO Giovana Driessen has faced difficulties, for example, when sharing with her husband the task of changing their son in public places because there were no changing tables in men's restrooms.
"We have fought hard for equality, and more than trying to impose what the mother's duties are or issues like career and motherhood, what are we really doing to create structures so that men also have the opportunity to be more present?" she reflects.
The date is Mother's Day, but the reflection is on the exercise of parenthood
Sweden is a reference country when it comes to directing efforts towards gender equality. Parents in Sweden (in all family configurations) are entitled to 480 days of paid parental leave, and if it is a couple, each is entitled to 240 days.
Here, we have the case of one of our artists who became a father and wanted to participate in his daughter's bath time every day. His work team started making arrangements so that he could take his time and experience it in his routine.
How ES sees "mothering" and has adapted its organizational structure for healthy parenthood
In addition to the concept of motherhood, it is necessary to delve into the concept of mothering, related to the broad care for the development of an individual, whether by parents or other people who play this role in the child's or adolescent's life.
ES is a creative platform formed mostly by artists, structured in a fully remote work format so that people can adapt their work to their routines.
ES's psychologist and HOD Coordinator, Bruna Schmitz, shares that it is part of the internal policy for mothers to take six months of maternity leave, but it is understood that each person has different needs that may require more or less time:
"Here, one of the focuses is the individualized look at each of the mothers and fathers, so that we can understand how to deal with different scenarios," she explains.
As an organization, the focus is on the singularity of the relationships between parents and their children, without rules regarding the time or way that mothering should be experienced. In the end, each individual relationship must be respected, as well as embracing caregivers’ both physical and mental health.
More than just honoring mothers, we need to rethink structures for the improvement of their quality of life and for the exercise of full parenthood
"What reassures me is being able to take my daughter to the doctor without the need to get any proof that I was with her." Milena Rocha, Senior Client Manager.
"My oldest daughter is 23 years old, and I worry about her daily. You will have concerns about your children your whole life." Thatiana Mourão, 3D Artist.
These were some testimonials from our internal meeting to discuss motherhood, a chat with professional mothers and also women who are not yet mothers, but who listened to and shared their experiences as daughters.
It is essential that companies reflect on what needs to change so that they can meet the needs of each mother and father, for a healthy caregiving.
We wish you a Happy Mother's Day, but before that, we are building a flexible and welcoming work context for the distinct needs of mothering.
Elephant CarES
Communications Manager - Roberta Lemos | Communication Intern – João Victor Campos
Author – Jornalist Daiana Barasa and Juliana Rodrigues | Naiá
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