Working Moms: Three Generations of Grit, Growth & Zero Guilt (with my mom, Gail)
What happens when your guest is the woman who raised you?
This week’s episode of Carrie On! is a little different—and very close to my heart.
I sat down with my mom, Gail, to talk about what it really meant to be a working mom in the ’70s and ’80s, and how her choices shaped my own.
DITCH THE MOM GUILT
From raising babies on Navy bases in Guam and Virginia, to weathering literal typhoons, to carving out a 42-year federal career that ended at NASA Ames, my mom lived the working mom juggle long before “mom guilt” became a hashtag.
Young Gail with Baby Carrie
We talk about:
How three generations of women in our family worked to survive and thrive
Why money means freedom (and why she refused to raise us in scarcity)
The side-eye and stigma she faced when choosing work over “traditional” motherhood
Going back to school after raising kids—and thriving in college with NASA’s support
Why she believes she was a better mom because she worked
Working Moms Gail and Carrie at 2022 Women on the Rise
This episode is full of truth, laughter, and wisdom from someone who lived it, and who taught me by example that being fulfilled makes you a stronger parent.
Three hot takes from this conversation with my mom:
“If you have more money, you have more choices and more freedom.”
“After a while, how much Sesame Street can you watch?”
“Nobody knows you and your kids better than you do—turn off the mom-shaming.”
Whether you’re a working mom yourself or the proud child of one, you’ll feel seen and inspired.
🎥Watch our full conversation on YouTube.
🎧Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
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As always, keep your head above the chaos and carry on.
xo,
Carrie
