- POPSUGAR Australia
- Living
- I Think It's About Time We Saw a Mom Leading the White House – Here's Why
I Think It's About Time We Saw a Mom Leading the White House – Here's Why
Getty / MoMo Productions
Motherhood is a juggling act. It’s holding babies while answering emails; wearing a baby while cooking; checking in with your kids while at work; nursing while eating, and so on. It’s a whole lot of loving, learning, and leading every day – which are exactly the kind of skills I want to see in our country’s leader. While it may not happen this year, I do think having a president who is also a mother would be a great thing for the United States. She would bring a different level of insight, compassion, and coordination to the nation’s highest office. Here are three (of the many) reasons why.
Related: My Mom Left Her Stay-at-Home Life to Become a CEO – and I Thank Her For It Every Day
Getty
Moms are effective leaders.
Moms are effective at leading and bringing about meaningful change. From Tammy Duckworth, the first United States Senator to give birth while in office, to Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand’s Prime Minister and the first female world leader to bring a baby to the UN Nelson Mandela Peace Summit, we have seen the benefits of having moms in positions of power. Senator Duckworth, a wounded Purple Heart veteran, introduced the unanimously passed US Senate rule to allow lawmakers to bring babies 12 months and under onto the chamber floor. Ardern took decisive measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and as such, nearly eliminated the virus in New Zealand. The general public sees the value in having moms lead, as well. According to a 2018 study, Americans believe moms are calmer in crisis, more diplomatic, and better team players than working fathers or employees without children.
Getty
Moms are expert multitaskers.
There is no question that moms know how to multitask. In households where both parents work, moms tend to do more when it comes to managing the children’s schedules and activities, as well as be more likely to take care of the children when they are sick. Working moms are also more likely than working fathers to do laundry, clean, shop for groceries, prepare meals, and furnish and decorate the home. Working mothers have also been rated better at multitasking and at time management.
Getty
Moms are up to the challenge.
Being a leader in the White House is no easy feat, but a mom can handle it. Motherhood brings a variety of experiences, ranging from postpartum depression, hormonal changes, isolation, stress, work-life balance obstacles, and so on. Moms are resilient, and others know that to be true. In fact, 91 percent of working Americans believe moms can offer unique skills as leaders, and 85 percent believe motherhood helps a woman prepare for challenges she would encounter as a leader.