Dr. Jill Biden is opening up about the challenges she faced as a working parent and sharing advice for other moms who may be facing burnout while taking on increased responsibilities while isolating at home amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Speaking in an interview for the latest issue of Parents, the first lady, who is also working as a college English professor, admitted to having her fair share of struggles while coming to grips with the role of a parent.
"Like a lot of moms, I multitasked," she said. "When my school day was over, I'd grade papers on the bleachers while the kids played whatever sport was in season. Then I'd pile their equipment into our station wagon and rush home for dinner. Every meal I cooked had to take 30 minutes or less — otherwise, the boys would eat an entire bag of chips."
Jill and President Joe Biden share daughter Ashley, 39. She also helped bring up Biden's sons, Hunter and the late Beau, after his wife and daughter were killed in a crash in 1972, according to People.
"Since Joe was a single dad before we married, being home for dinner was important to him," Jill continued. "No matter what he was working on as a senator, he would come home at 7:40 sharp and eat dinner while the kids had dessert. He'd put them to bed while I studied for graduate school. It was a challenge, but those were some of the best days of my life. We were lucky; we had friends and family to support us. I could ask for help if I needed it."
Drawing upon her own experiences, Jill stressed how important it was for mothers to take time for themselves, even if it is just for a moment.
"You have to. We moms spend so much time questioning ourselves — at least I did. We need time to just quiet those voices in our head," she said.
The pandemic has placed additional pressure on mothers, who are now trying to juggle various roles. Sometimes they may drop the ball but Jill said it was okay because every mom was doing their best.
"Maybe you've made mac 'n' cheese for dinner one too many times. Maybe your temper is shorter than usual. Maybe you're too tired to be the ''un mom.' It's okay," she said. "You're not failing. You're strong. You're resilient. And you're doing your best to carry your family through one of the most difficult times in memory. We're going to do everything we can to get through this, together."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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