Being a working mom is incredibly significant. It represents the balancing act of fulfilling professional and personal responsibilities, often requiring resilience, time management, and dedication. In honor of Mother’s Day, we are proud to highlight a few of our Edinburgh neighbors who are slaying the role of "Working Mom." 

Priyanka works for Publicis Sapient and is currently serving Marriott International. She has worked in this field for 25 years.  She prepared by becoming a Computer Science Engineer and receiving Honors in Statistics and a Master of Business Administration.  She says, “Work for me is not a job but a stress reliever from all the non-ending chores around the house and multiple roles moms play these days, being a driver, a cook, a cleaner, a life coach, and many more. As a working mom, I get the opportunity to maintain a balance of being a provider to my family and continue to grow in my field of work. Every woman should invest in her passion, profession, and growth so she is not left with a big vacuum when the kids leave for college. It is important not to forget yourself while serving your family.”  

With support from her family, she says, “I have a busy household with three kids (Aditya - 14 years, and twins, Avni and Aria - 11 years), a traveling husband, and I am a full-time working mom from home. Working remotely and having the flexibility to be a good mom and offer the best at my job is truly a blessing. The family has learned how to respect my commitments at work and become self-reliant and disciplined. The kids observe and understand that it takes a lot of hard work to earn privileges, and they have started to respect the value of resources at a young age. Since mom is not the only one who needs to cook, or do laundry, or clean the house, everyone has agreed to learn everything around the house (well, most of the time. Lastly, I would give a lot of credit to my husband, who had been persistent with me to continue working during the hardest times of parenting when we had a very young family.”

Dr. Grebe has an undergraduate degree in exercise physiology and psychology, a graduate degree in Doctor of Chiropractic, and has worked in the field for 25 years.  She says, “Working outside of the house has always given me happiness because I help people at the office. Going to work has always been a stress reliever for me to put aside the daily stresses of being a mom.  My kids do a great job of being helpful around the house with chores. They help out with grocery shopping. The biggest challenge is balancing time with work, family, friends, and having fun. I believe I have set the standard of showing them that you can have a successful career and balance family and a good life.  I am grateful to have chosen a profession I truly enjoy, which makes being a working mom something I have continued to do since the kids were born.”

Lennette works for USAI Lighting and has worked in her field for 18 years. She has a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Tennessee. Prior to focusing on lighting, she practiced architecture for 7 years. She says, “It took some time, but I managed to put my family first, and my job (for the most part) is scheduled around family events and functions. My current position requires traveling. There is a lot of coordination of schedules. Everyone also participates in household responsibilities. I’d like to say we are a well-oiled machine. But the truth is, we live in organized chaos. There have been times when I have had to miss an event—or completely forgot about it. That is pretty tough. I’d say the hardest part is if someone is sick and unexpectedly needs to go to the doctor. Juggling meetings and deadlines with doctor visits can be stressful. I think my family understands how hard I work, and sometimes (even on vacation), I must take a call or brief clients or counterparts. They know that my work doesn’t end at 5 pm, but I am always there for them, and they are my priority. I think we all need to give each other some grace. The laundry is never caught up, and our home is definitely lived in—but we juggle as much as we can. If I had to guess, we make things like laundry, dishes, etc., a bigger deal than others in our family perceive them. Work should never be the most important part of your day. At the same token, it is okay to have an identity outside of your family.”

Fazeena has a Certification in Healthcare Administration and has worked in the field for 18 years. She currently works for Jamaica Hospital Medical Center in Queens, New York. She says being a working mom has made her improve at working efficiently and with focus. She says, “My schedule is packed having a full-time job that sometimes involves traveling, a husband, kids with a full plate of after-school activities, my social friends, etc. Therefore, I really do not have time to waste, and that means I make the absolute most of my hours. I value time and do not waste time asking for more than what is needed to get the job done from both my home and work team/ family. My family are all amazing and supportive of my career goals. I have a very supportive husband and beautiful girls who encourage and offer emotional support and assistance with household tasks, and my siblings, three darling sisters who will step in and offer my children home-cooked meals and sleepover options on weekends as my husband also travels sometimes. We have a very unique family bond, which ultimately contributes to a better work-life balance and job satisfaction. We assist each other so our children are not with strangers but with loved ones.”  She says, “Being a working mom has increased my daughter’s career aspirations and a greater sense of equality and responsibility by providing a broader and more diverse social networking to cultivate independence.”

Dr. McFarland works at Little River Animal Hospital in Milton, and she has been a veterinarian for 18 years. She has a BSA in Animal Science, an MEd in Secondary Science Education (Both from the University of Georgia and a DVM from UGA College of Veterinary Medicine. She says, “Being a working mom of three has made me very efficient and attached to my paper calendar.  I am always going a million miles a minute, but I love all the aspects of my life (except putting away laundry).  I can fit more things in a day than I ever imagined. Having my own career and income gives me a sense of independence that I think is important to model for my kids, especially my daughters. My husband, Mike, helps out a lot, getting the kids to their activities and making dinner to keep us all fed.  He also puts away my laundry, which I hate doing. The biggest challenge of being a working mom is managing a busy home and work schedule and trying to keep up with everything at both work and home.  My children have all spent time with me at my veterinary hospital and know how much I love my job and how hard I work. I think they realize the difference I make for my four-legged clients, but I also work to balance my love for my family. And my kids all know what a spleen looks like!”

Dr. Slotwinski works at Focus & Frames Eyecare, Oakwood, GA, and has worked in the field for 15 years.  She completed her undergraduate studies with a major in Biology and continued another 4 years of studies at the Illinois College of Optometry to obtain her doctorate.   She has also worked with some of the best corneal specialists at Cedars Sinai in Los Angeles to further develop her specialty in contact lenses for diseased corneas. She says, “I have learned that multitasking is key!  If I am not juggling 10 (or 100) things at once, I am bored.  Being a mom is always my priority, and my kids come first, but I love working with such a wide spectrum of patients, and I feel fulfilled professionally by going to work every day and making a difference in people's lives.  Having kids has also made me a more empathetic and patient practitioner.” On support from her family, she says, “It's a team effort.   I have an amazing husband who cooks, helps with chauffeuring children to sports, and helps brainstorm business ideas and growth for my practice.  And kids that do their jobs by doing their schoolwork and staying out of trouble. I think my kids know that I am happy with my career and that I love my job.  I hope they choose careers that are their passions as well.  And they see me opening my new practice as one of my long-term dreams being fulfilled.  They will be confident to take risks and do the same in life.”

Dr. Glass has been an educator for 29 years. She has served as a Certified Athletic Trainer, Health and Physical Education Teacher, Technology Coordinator, and Assistant Principal in Laurens, South Carolina, and currently in Gwinnett County Public Schools. She studied Health and Exercise Science at Furman University and Educational Leadership at the University of Georgia and Mercer University.  On the topic of being a working mom, she says, “I’ve learned a lot from the students, colleagues, and parents that I have worked with over the years. Being an educator has made me a better mom, and being a mom has made me a more effective and empathic educator. My husband Tony and I work together to share parenting responsibilities and run our household. Our boys keep me grounded and help me relate to my students. The details of both roles are my biggest challenge. School is complicated, and so is being a mom. If given the choice, I’m not sure the Glass brothers would choose to have an assistant principal for a mom. I know too much. I do come home with some good stories, though!"

She concludes, "Most importantly, I’m thankful for the role model that my mom was for me as a working mom. She set an example of resilience and independence that I aspire to daily. I believe God puts us where he needs us, and I am right where I need to be.”