Long Island Working Moms newsletter: Welcome to our community

"Did I brush my teeth today?" I wonder as I’m driving to work after another morning of getting my two kids out the door to school.

I know my 10-year-old son brushed his. It was still dripping wet when I went into the bathroom to put the paste on my 5-year-old’s toothbrush.

But in the whirlwind of making sure they were dressed — after my daughter changed her outfit twice — breakfast (Little Bites muffins), lunches packed, and everyone got out the door with backpacks, band instrument, field trip permission slip and correct Spirit Week hairstyle ... I can’t remember if I brushed my own teeth.

There’s motherhood in a nutshell.

If you’re a working mom, you know what it’s like to have already lived a full day before the 9 to 5 workday even starts. That’s why I stash a travel toothbrush in my glove compartment.

And you also know that the ParentSquare, TeamSnap and other child-centric app notifications also follow you to the office — likely with an occasional call from the school nurse.

After putting in a full day at work, maybe you somehow squeeze in hockey practice, homework, dance classes, dinner, baths and more before falling asleep to "your show" when you try to stay up that extra hour to steal some "me time."

This newsletter is for you. You’ll hear from other Long Island working moms, like the three busy women profiled in this week’s series. 

But this isn’t just about being seen, it’s also about finding solutions to the unique problems facing working mothers living in one of the most expensive places to raise a family.

As Newsday reported this week, Long Island parents pay an average of $24,000 for childcare, but we also found some ways for families to get help with these costs.

Long Island Working Moms Summit

Newsday’s Working Moms Summit on June 3 confronted several issues that working moms contend with every day — from coping with the mental load to real-life strategies to making finances work better to building a career that fits into your life. We’ll be sharing more from the event in this newsletter.

Join the conversation

We’re building a community you can come to when you get a minute to reflect, learn and maybe even laugh as we navigate this beautiful mess together. 

It’s about making sure we brush our teeth, too.

We'd also like to hear from you — your questions, experiences, what you'd like to see from us — reach us at workingmoms@newsday.com. Join our Long Island Moms Facebook group to stay connected, and follow us on Instagram at @longisland_moms.