Posted on Wed, Jun 16, 2010 @ 09:06 AM
My husband, Ricky, has consistently followed me and my dreams without ever thinking twice. He was born and raised in New York City, but when our first son turned 2, I suggested we move to my home town for a better quality of life. Mind you, my home town is very "country" and is 7 hours away from NYC, his family, and everything he's ever known. I landed a very well-paying job, which is hard to find in our area, and brought home the higher salary.
When I was pregnant with our second son, we had several horrible incidences with various babysitters. Around 7 months, I decided to open my own daycare so that I could stay home with our sons. My husband fully supported me, even though we would be losing my higher salary. We had also bought a house prior to moving up here and had a mortgage to worry about paying. It took me ten months to get enough kids in my daycare for us to "survive", and my husband has never suggested I go back to work -- beyond that, he encouraged me to stick it out through the really hard times when I wanted to give up and go back to work. I am now becoming certified as a kickboxing instructor and he has fully supported me through that decision as well and thinks it's a fantastic idea.
This last year has been a very difficult year financially, but my wonderful husband pushed and supported me to follow my dreams. It would've been much easier if I had gone back to work, but he encouraged me to do what would make me and our kids happy. He's a wonderful father who is fully involved. He is the best daddy and husband I could ask for!
Leave a comment below to cast your vote for Angela R!
Get all the details on the Mom Corps Flexible Fathers contest here.
Posted on Mon, Jun 14, 2010 @ 01:21 PM
A premier online community dedicated to professional women, w2wlink, is hosting its second annual award program for executive women, including a networking and awards event on Tuesday, June 15, in Atlanta.
w2wlink helps professional women get to where they're going -- faster. The community provides expert knowledge, tools to overcome obstacles, and connection with others in online groups, webinars and events in major cities.
At this year's event, to be held at the Buckhead Club, the award winners will speak on a panel, and strategic seating will facilitate connections among attendees following the panel. The moderated panel will build an open conversation on C-level topics of executive access to the board and CEO and power and influence as an executive women.
Lisbeth McNabb is the CEO of w2wlink.com as founder and has been building w2wlink after leading match.com to high growth and former executive at Pepsico Frito-Lay, American Airlines, Sodexo and a current board of director on public and private companies.
Details about the Ascendancy Awards for Business Women event:
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wine Tasting and Networking
6:00 p.m. Conversation with C-Suite Executives: Ascendancy Award Winners from Atlanta
6:45 p.m. Celebration Toast to the Award Winners and Networking in Strategic Circles
Buckhead Club
Sovereign Building
3344 Peachtree Road, NE
Suite 2600
Atlanta, GA 30326
C-Suite Panel of Executive Women: Moderated panel for lively and open discussion of perspectives from inside
Atlanta Winners:
Christine St. Clare, Corporate Fast Track Executive
Molly Fletcher, Entrepreneurial Executive
Susan Johnson, Transition to Transformation Executive
Elizabeth Patrick, Transition to Transformation Executive
Ann Stallard, Entrepreneurial Executive
RSVP for this event here.
Posted on Thu, Jun 10, 2010 @ 06:42 PM
I wonder every day what I have done right in this world to have my husband by my side. Dan & I started dating almost 9 years ago and got married 4 ½ years ago. From the moment I got pregnant in January 2009, Dan has been absolutely magnificent. I happened to get pregnant on the last year of my Master’s program. He was also in his last year of his MBA program, which meant we were both juggling a full-time Master’s program, a full-time job, plus our outside activities. And whether it was letting me rest when the laundry was piled up or take over any of my house chores when I had a school team meeting, Dan did everything without hesitation and without resentment. He has always been a caring, patient and loving husband. After our son was born, his consistent care and patience with me did not diminish. He would come home from work to wash baby bottles, change diapers, make sure I was feeling ok and did whatever chores needed to get done (everything from cooking to cleaning since all I managed to do while at home was breastfeed our son). Once I returned to work, I somehow had even less energy than when I was at home because now I had returned to school, had my full time job and had to finish my last semester of classes. My husband was the driving force in getting me through what seemed to be my longest and 
most emotionally draining semester. He has always had an extreme understanding and support for everything I do and I don’t think there are words that could ever express to him how much I love him and thank him for being the most amazing father and husband that I know.
Leave a comment below to cast your vote for Ayola!
Posted on Fri, Jun 04, 2010 @ 04:12 PM
Scott and I were married on 4/4/04 - of course at 4 p.m.! And, that began our journey together. It was second marriages for both of us and at a time when we had basically given up on the hope of ever having children. Providence intervened and now, 6 years later, we have not only a 3-year-old daughter but a 21-month-old son. Grace and Eli are the light of our lives, and Scott is 
over the moon to have his dream of being a dad come true! He has worked in real estate for more than 35 years, but the past 2 years have been the worst in his entire career making my career even more important. However, the slow down in the market has offered the opportunity for him to spend a significant amount of time with our kids. It is a priceless gift to him...to me...and to Grace and Eli. I feel blessed to have such a wonderful husband and children! He is the ultimate "Flexible Father," and I can't imagine life without him.
Leave a comment below to cast your vote for Amy!
Get all the details on the Mom Corps Flexible Fathers contest here.
Posted on Fri, Jun 04, 2010 @ 04:11 PM
I am very lucky to be married to a very loving and supportive man. He is an amazing husband and father. We have two boys, ages 4 and 6 months, and we both work full-time, so our lives are pretty busy. Last year I was going to school to get my masters degree, while being pregnant with our second child and working full-time. Whether I was dealing with boss issues, working on a midterm or having a hormonal mood swing, my husband never complained and was supportive 100% of the time. He
never hesitates to take care of the things that many would consider the "woman's role" from grocery shopping to cooking to cleaning to doing whatever is needed to care for the kids. My husband continues to be supportive as I go through the grueling process of searching for a job that will advance my career. He is always there to help me with whatever I or our boys need, even if it just a good laugh. I love him very much! :)
Leave a comment below to cast your vote for Nataly!
Get all the details on the Mom Corps Flexible Fathers contest here.
Posted on Fri, Jun 04, 2010 @ 04:05 PM
I would like to write a poem to my husband, Olu Akinniyi, that expresses my feelings towards him and his fathering.
To My Husband, on Father's Day
When I look at you being a dad to our children,
my heart swells with gratitude and pride,
I find myself sitting in a corner, admiring you be your natural self,
being in your comfort zone of daddy hood.
I feel so blessed to have a husband like you
I am so thankful that my children are blessed
with a father as caring, thoughtful, and supportive as you
It must be Heavenly Father looking out for me
He knew we would compliment each other
so he blessed us with each other
On this Father's Day here is a wish for you
I wish for continuous blessings from above
For God's guidance, protection, strength
For health, long life and prosperity
I want to thank you for always putting our children's interest first
We love you from the bottom of our hearts
We wish you Happy Father's Day
From your wife and three daughters!
Leave a comment below to cast your vote for Angela!
Get all the details on the Mom Corps Flexible Fathers contest here.
Posted on Fri, Jun 04, 2010 @ 03:52 PM
My spouse, a blue-collar, salt-of-the-earth type, shows tremendous love for me -- and "flexibility" -- in the Job-like way that he endures my every dream, endeavor, and scheme. He's not one to dissect my plans that much, usually offering little more than an "OK, if you want to" or 'I think you should try it." But knowing that he's had my back for 16 years of marriage has made all the difference. Never have I felt compelled to downsize my desires, fearing that he wouldn't "approve." What's more, he's as hands-on a dad as I am a mother. Like a lot of men, he enjoys doing the physical stuff with our four kids (boys). But he also doles out plenty of lectures so that mom's isn't the only nagging voice. Plus, he's never mistaken me for the "maid" or "chief babysitter." At the end of the day, he lets me be me, with all of my wanderlust, ambition, and zaniness. He's like the scrunchee that you keep forever because, 'though it's worn out, it's still good!
Leave a comment below to cast your vote for Missy of Maryland!
Get all the details on the Mom Corps Flexible Fathers contest here.
Posted on Wed, Jun 02, 2010 @ 12:00 PM
My husband is probably the most understanding, flexible and caring man I have ever known. I work full time along with my husband and with balancing two girls, under 5yrs of age it can be extremely fun but challenging at times. Because I work in the opposite direction of my husband, with a demanding and un-flexible work schedule he has offered to change his work schedule around to accommodate taking our girls to day care.
He gets them dressed, fed and off to day care. The pressures of work are definitely on him with a not so understanding boss, but he makes it work, with absolutely no complaining. On top of this he also has dinner ready by the time I get home from work.
Because of his changed work schedule he now has to work Saturdays missing quality time with his family. He has sacrificed a lot and always has a smile on his face, with nothing but a positive outlook. He is an inspiration to myself and our girls and I am so proud to be married to him. He definitely needs to be celebrated for what a wonderful Man, Father, and Husband he is.
Leave a comment below to cast your vote for Linda!
Get all the details on the Mom Corps Flexible Fathers contest here.
Posted on Wed, Jun 02, 2010 @ 11:19 AM
When I arrived home from work early one afternoon last Spring, carrying a small box of personal belongings on my 5-month pregnant belly, my husband met me at the door and told me everything was going to be okay. It was the happiest time of our lives - our first baby was on the way. It was also the scariest – my layoff had cut our household income in half!
My husband is a full time professional Realtor. His new business was beginning to get traction when the recession hit. We scraped by while I looked for work – a futile undertaking in a job market flooded with displaced (non-pregnant) talent. After our son was born, my options changed dramatically. Suddenly long commutes and even longer hours were out of the question. So my husband pounded the pavement selling homes in the North Fulton area and thanks to his perseverance and undying positivity, we’ve gotten by surprisingly well on one income. Well enough for me to stay home with our son and write and illustrate my first children’s book, due out this summer.
Business continues to improve as the real estate market slowly corrects itself, and I still keep my eyes open for that ideal career opportunity that lets me stay close to home and make us a two income family again. Until then, I’m really lucky to have a partner who fights against all odds to provide for his family – emotionally and fiscally.
Leave a comment below to cast your vote for Melanie Collins!
Get all the details on the Mom Corps Flexible Fathers contest here.
Posted on Wed, Jun 02, 2010 @ 11:14 AM
This month on the 20th, my husband, Steve and I will be celebrating 12 years together. We have two beautiful daughters, ages 7 & one soon to be 10 on July 4th. I have to admit that 10 years ago when we were expecting our first child, my husband and I never really planned what would happen afterward. We both needed to work, so we figured, “everything would just fall into place”.
No one is ever fully prepared for the life changes a first baby brings, but then we were also challenged with our first born being 7 ½ weeks early. Boy, now we were really unprepared. It was a very trying and emotional time, but my husband stood by me and was there every step of the way. Throughout my time in the hospital prior to her birth and then for the following month after her birth where she had to stay in the NICU before coming home, my husband would be at the hospital by her side.
Once she arrived home, she was placed on apnea monitors and had to be monitored by specialists periodically. As she grew, she did become stronger, but development delays were always prevalent and she is now officially learning disabled. Throughout the years, she became easily frustrated when unable to communicate with us and others and angered when she was unable to do things other children were able to do. Needless to say, our philosophy of “everything would just fall into place” failed on us. She did not thrive in day care centers and many of the nannies we hired in our home were unable to handle her differences and ultimately resigned. I had to reinvent myself numerous times in order to be a mother first and maintain a career. I could not have done it without my husband. He sought after a flexible work arrangement through his employer so that he could be at home when I had to be in the office. He maintained ALL aspects of childcare and the household chores while I pursued my master’s degree and he is always supporting me and the children no matter what obstacle we have to cross.
As the girls grow older, their needs do not become easier, just different. I was under the wrong impression that as my children entered full day school, I would be able to be in the traditional work force again. Not so, especially with a learning disabled child. As I continue to reinvent myself professionally in order to be there for my daughters but still earn an income, my husband is my backbone. He too reinvents himself in order to support us all in everything that we need. Steve will change his work schedule to meet his family demands. If I can’t be there to put the kids on the bus, he will work a little later to be home in the morning for them. Likewise, if I need him in the afternoon, he will alter his hours to be home. Because of his flexibility and support, we have been able to be there for our children without external child care.
Leave a comment below to cast your vote for Mercedes!
Get all the details on the Mom Corps Flexible Fathers contest here.
Posted on Wed, Jun 02, 2010 @ 11:14 AM
I would like to nominate my wonderful husband. It takes a very special person to totally and completely click with a child that is not their own and to truly love that child as though they were yours. My husband, Adam, has done just that. I was a young single mom of two little boys ages 3 and 1.5. I planned to be alone the rest of my life because I would NEVER be with anyone who didn't completely accept my boys as their own and have a good relationship with them and never thought I would find that. But I was so very lucky when I met Adam and got to see this instant connection between him and my sons. Since then, we have married and had two girls together who are now ages 2 & 3. Now he is in the process of adopting Caleb and Nathan to make them officially his. He has always been an equal partner in everything. We work side by side in the kitchen and together in everything that needs to be done. For the past year though, I have been working my full-time day job and a part-time night job. I get up in the 
mornings and get the kids to my mother's house, work till 4:00pm and then go straight to my night job. I get off at 11:00pm only to go home and straight to bed. I only see my husband and children really on the weekends. My husband handles everything so well. It is all up to him. From the time he gets off work at 4:00pm it is all homework, dinner, baths, cleaning and laundry. He manages to keep up with it all. He has really amazed me especially because all the while he is encouraging and supportive to me, and trying to help me get back in school. He is only 25 and most men his age are still partying and trying not to settle down and have kids and he has taken on this crazy, always hectic life and has never looked back. As if that wasn't all, he has really bad problems with his back which required him to have back surgery to replace a disc in his spine just in December and he still keeps on doing it all without a single complaint. He truly is an AMAZING MAN! He is my hero!! I couldn't imagine my life without him.
Leave a comment below to cast your vote for Sabrina Wiggins!
Get all the details on the Mom Corps Flexible Fathers contest here.
Posted on Wed, Jun 02, 2010 @ 09:20 AM
I would like to nominate my husband for the Flexible father contest. For the past 12 years, my husband has held at least 2 jobs. Not only has he worked upwards of 80+ hours a week, he has done so on second and third shifts. Typically my husband gets 3-4 hours of sleep a night, occasionally less if I have to travel for work and he has to take care of our 2 children 100% . 
He puts my career first...always, and has never belittled my ambitions. If anything he has passed over promotions and opportunities if the conflict with my schedule as to not disrupt the kids schedules. He takes as much reposnsibility for our children as I do. I am very lucky to have such a supportive husband. I could honestly go on and on...
Leave a comment below to cast your vote for Bobbie Jo Dempsey!
Get all the details on the Mom Corps Flexible Fathers contest here.
Posted on Tue, Jun 01, 2010 @ 09:30 PM
I would like to nominate my husband. He is an excellent father. I start work very early in the morning, so he gets my kids up and ready in the morning for school. He fixes them breakfast and takes them to school. If I am late from work he picks them up and makes sure they get their dinner. Even with his full time and very demanding job he takes the kids to park three to four times a week. I must say if I did not have his support, going back to work after eight years would not be easy as for me. Whenever I feel like I can no longer do it, he boosts my morale and does not let me give up. It is because of him I am back on my feet again. My kids are very lucky to have a father like him.
Leave a comment below to cast your vote for G. Ahmed!
Get all the details on the Mom Corps Flexible Fathers contest here.
Posted on Tue, Jun 01, 2010 @ 09:11 PM
I would like to submit my husband for the flexible father contest. He has always been an amazing husband, but he has truly shone as a father. My husband was given notification of being laid off 6 weeks before our daughter was due. After having a C-Section (3 weeks earlier than planned), he took over all responsibility for our household. He was only able to take off one week from work, but when he got home each night, he did all of the cooking, cleaning, and took care not only of me, but of our new daughter as well. He took off from work for all of her doctors appointments, including extra ones for the orthopedist, as she was born with hip dysplasia and had to wear a Pavlik harness. He officially lost his job 3 weeks after she was born. Finding another job was not easy, and he had to take on contract work, which was lower in pay and did not offer benefits.
I returned to teaching 12 weeks after she was born, but was extremely unhappy and stressed at my job. Even though we couldn't afford to live off of one income, my husband encouraged me to quit my job and stay at home with our daughter. I quit my job after working for only 3 months, and our benefits disappeared. I have come up with many different ideas on how I can possibly make some money while staying at home, but none have come to fruition yet, as they all require start-up money. We are quickly depleting our savings, but my husband insists that I enjoy my time with our baby girl and not stress myself out. He comes home from work every day and takes over parenting duties. He also continues to clean the house, cook meals, and go out of his way to be a good 
husband and father. He loves our daughter more than I have ever seen any man care for their child. I attend a lot of events with other mothers, and I am constantly suprised at how many complaints there are of people's husbands. I have no complaints!!! Just look at the picture of him holding her, and you can see the love between them.
Leave a comment below to cast your vote for Marna Mortimore!
Get all the details on the Mom Corps Flexible Fathers contest here.
Posted on Tue, Jun 01, 2010 @ 04:02 PM
As a recent college grad and the youngest of the Mom Corps team, I do not have a husband to tout in this competition – but I am nominating my wonderful dad who has shown me first-hand how one parent can flex in order to accommodate the other’s needs for work/life balance. Almost 18 years ago my father left his job to start his own company - forcing my mom who had been at home for 15 years to return to work and become the sole breadwinner for the first few startup years. She worked almost 
12 hours a day as the head of the Special Education Department at a local school and to ensure that she had time off at the end of the day, my dad picked up much of the slack – making lunches, signing permission slips, checking homework, and cooking dinner. Their mutual support of one another during this time is what truly helped to make my dad’s business successful and hold our family together while my sister and I were growing up. I hope to have a husband who is as supportive and kind (and as good a cook!) as Big Bill one day.
Caroline Evans is the Marketing Manager for Mom Corps.
Leave a comment below to cast your vote for Caroline Evans!
Get all the details on the Mom Corps Flexible Fathers contest here.
Posted on Tue, Jun 01, 2010 @ 02:48 PM
Just last week my husband and I celebrated our 9 year anniversary - 5 of those years I have spent married to Mom Corps as well. There is no way I could have done it without him. He and I made a decision early on that he would keep the stable job so I could "go for it". Shane has been the one to have the salary, benefits, and of course long hours. That enabled me to get my business going and do it in a way that I can be there for my family. I didn't need to take a salary or have benefits early on, so I could just invest the 
money back into the company to make it grow. Without his support, I would have had to have a permanent full time traditional job. Instead, I have been able to build an amazing company while working from home and having the flexibility to be there for my boys (7 and 5) and of course Shane when they need me.
Allison O'Kelly is the CEO and Founder of Mom Corps.
Leave a comment below to cast your vote for Allison O'Kelly!
Get all the details on the Mom Corps Flexible Fathers contest here.
Posted on Tue, Jun 01, 2010 @ 02:38 PM
When my husband and I were getting ready to have our first child back in 2006, I was absolutely aghast at the idea of putting our little baby in childcare so soon after she was born. I needed to return to work in an office setting (not a lot of flexibility for me at that time). But my husband had a very flexible sales position that allowed him to work remotely pretty much whenever he wanted. So he volunteered to stay home with our daughter after I went back to work.
It was such a relief during the months leading up to our daughter's birth, knowing she would be in the care of her parents for at least the first few months of her life. I had 12 weeks with her (mostly spent in that post-newborn haze, but still ...) When the time came for me to go back to the office, my husband took over like a pro. He did his sales job via phone and email during her naps, and occasionally had to put our daughter in the Pack-n-Play in the next room during certain conference calls. I came home every day to a happy baby and a loving husband/father. I could call home whenever I wanted and get an update on my girl. It was wonderful!
By the time she was about 7 months old, we decided it was time to get a little outside help with childcare. She started with one day a week, then two days, at a wonderful babysitter's home. And at 1 year old, she was going full-time to the sitter, while my husband started a new job with more office expectations.
I'll never forget how comforting it was to have that first year of "daddy day care," enabling me to go back to work without being totally racked with guilt or worry. My husband Jay was (and still is) the best!
Leave a comment below to cast your vote for Susan Jackson!
Get all the details on the Mom Corps Flexible Fathers contest here.