Every day when I pick Em up from school she asks me how my day was and what I did all day. As a mom working at home, my day consists of working on the computer combined with household duties. I explain this to her but as a 6-year-old, she comprehends it as me staying home and making sure I have the right snacks for her.
Until my daughter was born, I worked in an office. I left the corporate world to run my own business and have been doing that before she was born and every since. It’s a strange situation to be in because choosing to stay at home has its own set of responsibilities, as does the addition of working from home. The balance can be tricky but the explanation to my daughter feels trickier sometimes.
In 1984, Cathy Fink released a song called “What Does Your Mama Do?” from their album Grandma Slid Down the Mountain. According to Fink, the song was successful in terms of engaging kids to talk about what they knew about their moms did:
“In the 1980’s this song really had a positive impact on giving kids a wide view of women at work, both in the home or outside of the home. We would include verses where kids told us what their own moms did and got some fun responses:
She bags potato chips
She’s a lady wrestler
She’s an opera singer“
I love hearing what my daughter comes up with as part of how she understands her world and the roles people play in it. When music can invoke thought and serve as a guide to raise awareness and encourage conversations, I am reminded of how powerful it is.
Learn more about Cathy Fink’s work, including her new album, Dancing in the Kitchen: Songs for ALL famililes, which features Marcy Marxer, at their official site. The album celebrates the diversity of families in today’s society and encourages togetherness and love.
“What Does Your Mama Do?” is available for purchase at Amazon, and you can buy the corresponding album, Grandma Slid Down the Mountain, through Cathy and Marcy’s store.
Kids Can Groove 