Sarah and I love sharing the stories of women who are doing amazing things in the world…who also happen to be Best of Both Worlds listeners!
Today’s podcast episode features Molly Beck, founder and CEO of Messy.fm, a B-to-B podcasting company (basically, she helps companies make podcasts, which are often distributed to employees). She talks about her entrepreneurial journey — raising money from investors, being part of a highly competitive incubator — and how that has happened as she has grown her family (Molly has two young boys and a third on the way!)
Molly and her husband have created a plan to ensure 50-50 care of the kids outside of their preschool/nanny hours. Molly talks about how that works; literally, they know which parent can wander off at an event, and which is in charge of herding the kids at any given time!
In the introduction, Sarah and I discuss kid birthday parties, from video game trucks to cold playground time (with hot chocolate and Munchkins). In the Q&A we share ideas with a listener who has two school aged kids and an infant and is wondering how on earth everyone is going to get out the door on time. Please give the episode a listen and share with a friend who you think would enjoy it!
As a side note, Patreon community members got a sneak peek at Molly’s episode because they got to hear her share her loves of the week at our last online meet-up. Please come join us! Our next meet-up will be March 24th at noon, eastern.
I loved Molly’s approach to making decisions as a couple, and her desire for community. I listened to the podcast while tidying up this am, and then ended up in a cafe (didn’t realise the library opens late on Wednesdays) where the server knows my order (green tea, brioche with no jam or butter) and other patrons nod in recognition. I’ve been working at the library one morning a week for a change of scene and now have a little chat with the librarians and smile at the other guy that seems to use the library as his office.
I agree with the whole “bag of junk” party favors. It doesn’t cost much to get something of value (Pack of sidewalk chalk or children’s activity book). We recently got these birdhouses for one of our kid’s birthday party.
They were on sale when I got them $24, so something super affordable, and not junk for $2 per kid. I ended up ordering an extra pack for my kids to do on weekend afternoons. I love that each kid has their own supplies, so I don’t have to worry about getting little kids to share paint.
While I appreciate finding solutions to enable having a career and a family, I do find it a little strange that no one ever questions the “I met the nanny on Sunday and on Monday she started watching my kids full time” narrative. I wonder what it is like for the kids to be with someone who they have just met. I would find it interesting to hear an expert’s view on what is reasonable to expect of children and what might be a little too hard on them.
I agree… my son is 5 and this would NOT work. We are majorly struggling with this in general right now so I almost gasped when I heard this! My guess is that because her kids were so young it was actually easier on them? At newborn and one year old, I think some of those issues are a little easier.
I have been a Tech Stars mentor through my company so I loved hearing about her experience in the program and wow – what a ride during that time!
Per the comment above on childcare, that seems to imply her kids are negatively impacted?!?! She worked with an agency who vets their nannys. Meeting new people is a regular occurrence in life and I’m sure kids are extremely adept at it. They do it at daycare, swim lessons, sports, music lessons, school, many places. I highly doubt a 5 month old is affected by a different adult holding him?!
Yes, I do think a small baby notices whether a parent whose smell, touch, voice is familiar holds him or someone he’s only met the day before. I am not saying children can only be with their parents. I am saying children need time to get to know new caregivers and feel secure and attached to them.
@Maggie – I don’t think Molly handed the kids to a new caregiver with no transition – she was working in the building right next door and was going home multiple times per day as she was still breastfeeding. I think it was really cool she did this program as a mom of young kids. There’s been a lot of criticism of the highly competitive accelerator/incubator programs that because they require you to move somewhere for several months they are “off limits” for women with young kids. Molly showed it can be done! (Though of course there are no doubt ways many of the incubators could be more family friendly too I am sure).
I am so impressed by this episode – wow. Molly was empowering, honest, and a true source of inspiration. It’s easy to see why she’s a successful entrepreneur and a badass mom! I listened to this episode twice and shared it with a lot of friends. She’s the best guest I’ve heard on this show and hope to read more of Molly’s journey in the future.
Our kids go to daycare and before they started, we went to the daycare to meet the teachers in his room and go through his schedule/temperament, etc. We were probably there for 15 minutes and one of the teachers held him during the visit but that was the extent of the meet and greet/adjustment period… So I think the situation for Molly’s kids was pretty similar to mine besides the fact that I knew both kids were going to the specific daycare months ahead of time. Both of my kids did just fine w/ the transition – they were about 4 months when they started. Neither cried at drop-off!
What is stunning to me if the broken leg/crutches situation and being on her own with 2 small kids! I can’t even imagine doing that! So I can see why that is the worst thing she has ever been through. I was on crutches for 2 weeks after a hip surgery pre-kids and even that was incredibly challenging since you can’t carry anything! She must have put the baby in a baby carrier to get around the house with him? But wow, what an extra challenging thing to go through!
For the question at the end, I think adding a baby to the situation won’t really change things all that much, at least in our experience. Our baby started daycare around 4 months. It got easier when he was around 6-8 months and we could put him in the high chair with some cheerios, bananas, etc to snack on/entertain him. He’s 15 months now and continues to be the easiest one to get out the door. It’s the 4yo who is the one who will cause delays because he requires so much active management, plus we leave the house around 6:50 and breakfast is at 8:30 at school so he needs to eat something before we leave which adds time to the schedule! So the baby might not make such a big difference in the grand scheme of things. I felt like it was pretty easy to get our oldest out the door until around age 2 when he really started to have opinions about things!
@Lisa – I only lasted through getting one kid ready to go to/from daycare before thinking we needed more adult help. And we only lived a 10 minute walk away too! I locked myself out of the apartment multiple mornings because somehow it was one more thing to remember. I would grab the bottles…but not my purse.