Advice for Working Moms: Humor - and Some Potato Salad
People often ask me, “How did you work full-time and raise a family?” My answer is always the same: you have to have a sense of humor.
I’ve worked full-time since college, and when my daughter Maddie was in kindergarten, her school hosted an evening event called Heritage Night — a potluck where families shared their traditions and favorite recipes.
At the time, I was extremely busy at work, and our nanny — who was truly our lifeline for nearly 15 years — handled a lot of the logistics. All I noticed on the invitation was one word: potluck. So I asked her to stop at Jewel and pick up a couple pounds of potato salad.
When we arrived at the school, I realized Heritage Night was about sharing meaningful family traditions. Maddie had made a beautiful poster titled “The Reiches Family Tradition,” complete with stick figures of our family.
In front of it sat five pounds of Jewel potato salad.
Around the room were homemade pastries, stews, breads, and recipes passed down through generations. And there we were — our “tradition” on full display.
I could have been embarrassed or upset. Instead, my husband and I laughed — and we still do. Years later, people tell me they think of that moment when they’re having a tough day, and it makes them smile.
The lesson?
Give yourself grace.
Laugh when things aren’t perfect.
Humor goes a long way — in parenting, in work, and in life.
To all the working moms out there: you’re doing better than you think. 💛
Shari Greco Reiches is Regional Director and Partner at EP Wealth Advisors. In 2005, Shari co-founded Rappaport Reiches Capital Management. She is the architect of the firm's Investing In Your Values solution, which aligns clients' financial planning with their core values. She is a frequent speaker on financial planning and values, author of Maximize Your Return on Life - Invest Your Time and Money in What You Value Most and enjoys mentoring women in the wealth management profession. Please connect with Shari. She loves to talk about investing, financial planning, and Barry Manilow.