In this episode Rachael speaks with Elissa Strauss, author of the book 'When You Care: The Unexpected Magic of Caring for Others.' They discuss the societal expectations placed on mothers, the cultural issues surrounding care, and the value of caregiving. Elissa also shares her personal experiences with motherhood and how it has changed her perspective on work and identity.
More inside this episode:
How motherhood is often framed as either a "fairytale" or a "nightmare"
Individualism in the U.S. and why it hurts families
The benefits of communal parenting and palliative care
The identity shifts we go through after having a baby and impacts on work life
How caregiving should be valued economically and philosophically
Elissa has been writing about the politics and culture of parenting and caregiving for more than fifteen years. Her work appears in publications like the Atlantic, the New York Times, Glamour, ELLE, and elsewhere, and she was a former contributing writer at CNN.com and Slate, where her cultural criticism about motherhood appeared on DoubleX. Her book, "When You Care: The Unexpected Magic of Caring for Others," is out now from Gallery Books. She is also the mom of two kids, Augie and Levi, ages 11 and 7!
Elissa’s Book: When You Care: The Unexpected Magic of Caring for Others
Elissa’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elissaavery/
Elissa’s Substack: https://substack.com/@elissastrauss
Rachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast.
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