The Double Shift

I had a blast talking about Amanda Litman’s weekly experiment of hosting friends at her Brooklyn apartment every Saturday night. My favorite parts of this conversation were discussing how NOT having a perfectly clean house can actually make guests feel more welcome, how to handle entertainment for kids, and how much this regular connection has bolstered Amanda’s mental health in these trying times. I hope you enjoy my “deep casual” beach hair look live from Central America! 😂 ICYMI, here are some of our writings on the topic. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thedoubleshift.substack.com/subscribe

I’m back with an update on what I’ve been working on—The How to Find Your People Club, an IRL community-building project tackling loneliness and disconnection. Plus, exciting news: I’m writing a book!In this episode, I’ll share more about the club, why community matters, and then dive into my latest audio newsletter, How Busyness Stops Us from Meaningful Connection. If you’ve missed hearing from me, come join me on Substack.The written version of this newsletter is here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thedoubleshift.substack.com/subscribe

I am very angry right now. In my community, I’m witnessing a fixable systemic childcare problem be cemented squarely on the shoulders of individual families, rather than those with power and resources collectively addressing a real need.My beleaguered public school district is waving the white flag of surrender to its working parents over our afterschool program. In this week’s audio newsletter, I’ll make a case for why we have to resist the dismantling of safety nets. This is the last free audio newsletter for everyone. If you’re a paid member, you still have access. If you’ve loved these audio newsletters and want to try out our membership program, go to thedoubleshift.substack.com/listeners for a free 30-day trial.Now I want to change gears from fire breathing to recommend a few Substacks to you:I love the Substack from Lindsey Stanberry called The Purse. She gets personal with the people she interviews and it’s so illuminating. My favorite one of her series is Home Economics where people share al the nitty gritty details about what they spend money on in a month. Also has a Division of Labor series about household responsibilities among couples I think Double Shifters will love.Also, definitely check out I’m Walking Here by Liz Gumbinner. She’s one of the original tastemakers in the mom space looong before momfluencers were a thing, and her newsletter is a great mix of common sense advice, analysis of current events, observations on parenting and parenting culture, pithy media commentary, unabashed feminism, GenX nostalgia, oddly persistent optimism, gift guides and recommendations.Members-only Hangout THIS FRIDAY! I can’t wait for our Members-only hangout on March 15th at 3pm EST! I’m thrilled that two long-time Double Shift members will join me in conversation about how creativity and caregiving intersect, overlap, conflict, and interplay. This is something I’ve been thinking about a lot as my “day job” requires "creativity.” But writing doesn’t always feel “creative” for me when it’s part of my “work.” I will be joined by musician Jaspar Lepak and visual artist Ilyse Iris Magy. Whether you are also a professional creative, someone who explores creativity through hobbies, someone who’s shelved creativity because of your caregiving duties, or someone who thinks they don’t have a creative bone in your body, this will be an enriching discussion for us all! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thedoubleshift.substack.com/subscribe

In this week’s audio newsletter is an essay about Sophia Chitlik, who is running for NC state senate here in Durham, North Carolina. What excites me the most about Sophia is that she’s promoting a platform we need candidates from across the country to try out. She’s running on care. You can connect with Sophia and read more about her campaign at her website, https://sophiafornc.com. If you love audio newsletters and what to try out our membership program, go to thedoubleshift.substack.com/listeners for a free 30-day trial. If you love the Double Shift, I think you’ll also love: Therapy Takeaway: Dr. Pooja Lakshmin MD(who’s also the author of the wonderful book, Real Self Care) has a newsletter that tackles fascinating systemic issues moms in particular face but brings her unique perspective as a reproductive physiatrist to offer concrete and insightful solutions. I loved her recent post, How to Make Hanging Out Happen, which gives helpful framing on how and why we feel like we never have time for unstructured connection with people. She also offers great ideas for creating more “hangout space” in your life. Platonic Love Letter: I recently discovered the work of Aliza Sir Sir and Aja Frost and their wonderful newsletter devoted to friendship. I’m particularly taken with their 8-week Training Program for Friendship, which they describe as a “running club meets support group for friendship.” with prompts, action items, and robust discussions in the comment threads. Based on conversations I’ve had with Double Shifters over the years, building meaningful friendships is top-of-mind for many of you, so definitely check out and subscribe to Platonic Love Letter. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thedoubleshift.substack.com/subscribe

For some of you, it may have been a minute since you've heard from me since we stopped producing episodes last year. But I want you to know I'm still working hard on all sorts of issues and stories about challenging the status quo of motherhood and beyond. Also, the Double Shift community is thriving!Today I'm sharing some highlights from my new report, A Playbook to Transform How America Cares: The Care Movement’s Winning Tactics, Lessons, and Case Studies from the Pandemic Era and Beyond which I think Double Shifters will love.If you want to dive into the full report, you can read it here or download the PDF and read it on your Kindle if you're into that. And if you don't have time for this 60 page masterpiece, you can read the key findings here.Be sure to sign up for the written newsletter that's available to all at thedoubleshift.com/newsletter. And if you want to support this work and get audio newsletters like this one weekly, go to thedoubleshift.com/join. It starts at $7 a month and you get all kinds of member perks in addition to the audio newsletters, like weekly discussion threads, monthly virtual and IRL events, and more!Thank you for listening and I appreciate your support - xo Katherine This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thedoubleshift.substack.com/subscribe

The Double Shift podcast launched three years ago to share the real stories of motherhood in America, and radically explore the social forces that make being a mom so challenging. We’ve brought you stories from inside brothels and a 24-hour childcare center; we’ve confronted capitalism, patriarchy, and the idealized myth of nuclear family; we opened up conversations about mental health and its stigma and amplified the voices of people often left out of conversations about motherhood; and we’ve gone deep on the experiences of moms and caregivers during the pandemic. Along the way we’ve reframed the conversation about motherhood and built a community of folks who aren’t only listening, but also supporting each other and taking action to make their communities better. While the podcast in this format will be on indefinite hiatus, our work is just getting started. We’ll be investing time and energy into our free weekly newsletter, led by Katherine, about the forces that shape family life in America, filled with reporting and storytelling. Sign up here: thedoubleshift.com/newsletterWe’re also nourishing our robust member community with hangouts, audio newsletters, and more. Please join us and support our ongoing mission! It starts at $5/mo. Go to thedoubleshift.com/join.THANK YOU with our whole hearts for being part of The Double Shift. In case you’d like to go down memory lane, here’s a playlist of some of our favorite episodes over the last 3 years. Pre-order Angela’s book, Essential Labor: Mothering as Social Change.Read this week's newsletter: 5 Things I've Learned as a Pandemic Mom and Podcast Business Lady This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thedoubleshift.substack.com/subscribe

Changing workplaces to make them substantially better for moms and caregivers is, in fact, possible.Inspired by our show on paid family leave back in 2019, we hear from some Double Shift listeners who fiercely advocated for -- and got -- better paid family leave at their companies.We are closer than ever before to getting federally funded paid leave for everyone. This is so important, but it’s just one part of an ongoing movement. Today’s episode offers encouragement, some playbook tactics, some real world examples, and something we all need right now -- hope. Subscribe to our newsletter: www.thedoubleshift.com/newsletter, and become a member to support our show. www.thedoubleshift.com/join.Listen to our episode from 2019, Paid Leave, We Can Do Better.Subscribe to our newsletter: www.thedoubleshift.com/newsletter, and become a member to support our show. www.thedoubleshift.com/join. Listen to our episode from 2019, Paid Leave, We Can Do Better.Information and Resources:“Where are the Mothers?” Read host Katherine Goldstein’s original reporting about how the women at the New York Times improved their parental leave.Making the case for parental leave:“5 Ways to Explain the Urgent Need for Paid Family Leave.” “The Economic Benefits of Paid Parental Leave.”“Wal-Mart and Now Starbucks: Why More Big Companies are Offering Paid Family Leave.”Read The NYTimes Parenting Section’s Guide to negotiating for parental leave:“How to Ask for Parental Leave When You’re an Hourly Worker”“How Freelancing Parents Can Create Maternity or Paternity Leave.”“How to Ask for Maternity or Paternity Leave When Your Company Has No Policy.”Additional organizations that support family leave advocacy:Paid Leave US is a national advocacy organization aimed at getting national paid family leave by 2022. Check out their FAQ,... This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thedoubleshift.substack.com/subscribe

COVID vaccinations for five to 11 year olds are here, and for so many parents and caregivers this moment could not have come soon enough. Others are taking a wait-and-see approach, including many moms who are vaccinated themselves but may feel anxiety about the COVID vaccine when it comes to their kids... and they don't necessarily have access to a doctor or health care worker who can help them sort through the information -- and emotion -- overload that dovetails with socially imposed expectations on what it means to be a “good mom.” Katherine has got you covered. She talks with her great friend AND trusted advisor, board certified family physician Dr. Liz Baltaro, about the science on kids and the COVID vaccine, and about the swirling vortex of “vaccine anxiety:” The worry many moms feel when making these weighty decisions about their children’s safety. Dr. Liz fields questions from you, our listeners, and brings calm to the chaos. Even if you are on board with getting your kids the shot, this episode may answer some important, lingering questions you have and will help you better understand those in your life who aren’t quite sold.Some Helpful Resources:Pfizer study on vaccines for ages 5-11 measures vaccines ability to neutralize antibody responsesThe risk of myocarditis is higher from COVID than from the COVID vaccine --The New England Journal of MedicineThe official CDC guidance on vaccines for kids and teens American Academy of Pediatrics FAQs of the COVID Vaccine Answers to your Questions About the COVID Vaccine and Kids -- NYTimesResearch cited in this episode was based on information available as of October 2021. Research on the impact of the covid vaccine on children is being updated regularly -- check the CDC web page for children and teens for the most recent information on vaccine safety and effectiveness.If you love the Double Shift Podcast, sign up for our newsletter, thedoubleshift.com/newsletter. Consider joining The Double Shift member community, which is a social change laboratory for moms. Learn more here at thedoubleshift.com/join. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thedoubleshift.substack.com/subscribe

Every mother has been touched by the pandemic and every mother has a story that deserves to be heard...including our own host, Katherine Goldstein.In this two-part series, Katherine shares her story of caring for newborn twins and a four-year-old as the coronavirus shut the world down around her. Through intimate, in-the-moment audio diaries, she strips away the tropes around self-sacrificing pandemic motherhood and lays bare the frustration, fear, uncertainty, and anger (so much anger) over how mothers, children, and caregivers have been abandoned in this crucial moment -- and have actually always been left to fend for themselves.A year and half later, we all know where this story is headed....but we don’t yet know how it ends. ----If you love the Double Shift Podcast, sign up for our newsletter, thedoubleshift.com/newsletter. Consider joining The Double Shift member community, which is a social change laboratory for moms. Learn more here at thedoubleshift.com/join. -----Listen to Battle Tactics for your Sexist Workplace wherever you get your podcasts. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/battle-tactics-for-your-sexist-workplace/id1391206534 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thedoubleshift.substack.com/subscribe

Katherine and Angela have built their careers thinking about motherhood, career and identity. Today, we hear from the Double Shifters who have influenced them most — their own mothers. Angela interviews Kay Goldstein about her trailblazing careers (plural!) as a second wave feminist, how she looks back at her life as a mom in the workforce now, and the lessons she shared with Katherine about not leaving anything on the table. Josie Garbes tells Katherine about her experiences as an immigrant who found her calling as a hospice nurse, the complexities of caring for the dying at work while raising three kids at home, and her new interest in activism during this time of targeted violence toward Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.Turns out, the influence between mother and daughter is truly a two-way street.Need a COVID-19 Vaccine? Go to vaccines.gov. https://www.vaccines.gov/If you love the Double Shift Podcast, sign up for our newsletter, thedoubleshift.com/newsletter. Consider joining The Double Shift member community, which is a social change laboratory for moms. Learn more here at thedoubleshift.com/join. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thedoubleshift.substack.com/subscribe

In Part 1 of this series, hosts Katherine Goldstein and Angela Garbes shared their own mental health challenges over the past year. They definitely aren’t the only ones who have struggled -- and in this episode we hear directly from some listeners who’ve sent us voice memos about how they are also not OK. We share some of the most pressing issues we are hearing about with Dr. Amber Thornton, a clinical psychologist and a motherhood wellness consultant. We discuss moms’ needs coming last, challenges in accessing care, additional obstacles for women of color in getting mental health support, some realities around self medicating, and more. You can find out more about Dr Amber at Balanced Working Mama, and her podcast The Balanced Working Mama Podcast.https://www.balancedworkingmama.com/ & https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-balanced-working-mama-podcast/id1520168735If you love the Double Shift Podcast, sign up for our newsletter, thedoubleshift.com/newsletter. Resources:If you are needing mental health support, please check out the following organizations:Postpartum Progress https://postpartumprogress.com/Postpartum Support International Hotline: 1-800-944-4773 (1-Spanish, 2- English)Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (In English and Spanish) https://med.stanford.edu/content/dam/sm/ppc/documents/DBP/EDPS_text_added.pdfMotherhood Understood, https://www.motherhood-understood.com/resources which includes Mother’s Manual for Postpartum Mental Health, Cheat sheet to Medications, Cheat sheet to Partners, and other resources.SAMHSA’s (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) National Helpline is 1-800-662-HELP (4357). They also have a treatment locator. https://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 800-273-8255Membership:Consider joining The Double Shift member community, which is a social change laboratory for moms. Learn more here at thedoubleshift.com/join. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thedoubleshift.substack.com/subscribe

Right now, all many mothers can think about is just wanting a break from the unrelenting domestic work that last year has heaped on us. In this special Mother’s Day episode, Katherine and Angela explore some fascinating, little-known history that has led our society to expect that mothers’ care work should be a largely uncompensated “labor of love.” We’ll also explore some forgotten moments in the 20th century with journalist and author Sarah Jaffe that gives vital context to how today’s society came to vastly undervalued caregiving.Then, taking inspiration from Black activists like Johnnie Tillmon and Angela Davis, Katherine and Angela lay out why we are at a pivotal moment for meaningful change and share some hopeful visions for a world where mothers’ invisible labor is collectivized, seen and valued. Resources:Work Won't Love You Back: How Devotion to Our Jobs Keeps Us Exploited, Exhausted, and Alone by Sarah JaffeWomen, Race & Class by Angela Davis The Invisible Labor Calculator, created by Amy Westervelt, author of “Forget ‘Having It All’: How America Messed Up Motherhood--and How to Fix It”If you love the Double Shift Podcast, sign up for our newsletter, thedoubleshift.com/newsletter. Consider joining The Double Shift member community, which is a social change laboratory for moms. Learn more here at thedoubleshift.com/join. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thedoubleshift.substack.com/subscribe