Putting Your Family First Is OK (No Matter What KellyAnne Conway’s Opponents Say)

KellyAnne Conway made a miracle. Almost every pundit and pollster thought that Donald Trump could never win the presidency, but as of yesterday’s Electoral College vote, it’s official–he’ll be our new president come January. Conway made that happen. Whether you like that result or not, you have to agree it was a spectacular success for Conway.

With results like that, she could have had her pick of White House Jobs, but she decided she didn’t want that. She decided she would turn down a super demanding job so that she could be more available to her four children. After doing what must have been a 24/7 job since she took over the Trump campaign in August, she’s ready for a break and she has no illusions about what it means to be in a demanding job.

Since feminism is supposed to be about choice, it’s shocking that some people are freaking out at her desire to allow the demanding jobs to someone else. According to NY Magazine, Conway said “My children are 12, 12, 8, and 7, which is bad idea, bad idea, bad idea, bad idea for mom going inside [the White House]. They have to come first and those are very fraught ages.”

To keep reading, click here: Putting Your Family First Is OK (No Matter What KellyAnne Conway’s Opponents Say)

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9 thoughts on “Putting Your Family First Is OK (No Matter What KellyAnne Conway’s Opponents Say)

  1. The freedom to choose … and the accompanying maturity to ignore the nay-sayers.

    What a refreshing and insightful, and helpful, article.

  2. Exactly. I don’t personally care for Ms. Conway, but I absolutely respect her decision. After all, that is the tenet of feminism: women have choices.

  3. Of course “it’s her choice” and of course it should be (and yes it’s ridiculous how people praise or condemn her based more on where they stand politically)

    But don’t you think there’s more to unpack in how her decision was framed? Of course, spouses should take each others feelings and needs into account when making career decisions. But why is the default asking men how they would feel about their wives taking such a position, rather than how they feel about a job that would take them away from their families? Or how they think their wives/families would feel about the men taking such a position?

    That’s a bigger dynamic than just Conway, but that’s a dynamic worth discussing.

    1. It’s the default because it’s the norm that men are the bigger earners who devote more time to their careers than their wives do. All the studies show that–men work more paid hours than women do.

      A traditional family set up is okay.

      1. I didn’t say otherwise.

        I do think it’s reasonable to question that default value and how framing things this way puts women who do want those jobs at a disadvantage, and helps perpetuate the income inequality that helps prop up the default.

  4. People always play the Family Card because — as noted in the article — it’s more socially-acceptable to say one wants to have more time for their family than to say they’ll make more money, have greater freedom (and less of the ferocious power struggles and jockeying for position) than at a White House job.

  5. I totally agree that feminism is the freedom to choose what is best for you, as a woman, wife, mother, etc. Without the freedom of choice, feminism is non-existent. Conway’s choice is completely legit. Even if she takes a different high power job that pays more but allows her to be home more, she has made a choice for her family, and there is nothing wrong with that. If she chooses to be a stay at home mom, there is nothing wrong with that. However, there is a problem with a society that thinks she is wrong because she chose to give up a White House job to take care of her family. If I were offered a White House position 10 years ago when my children were 8 and 10, I would have turned it down as well. If I were offered a White House position today, I would jump at the opportunity. My children are grown and in college. They don’t need me. They needed me 10 years ago. But, I still had a career and supported my family as the top wage earner, even with a husband. And that’s ok. Because I put my family first, my career second, and we all survived. Twenty years later, I’m still married, still love my career as an HR Professional, and have a fabulous relationship with my children. These are the 3 things I would never give up and would never change. Conway made the best decision for her and no one should criticize her for it.

  6. Umm, so as of today isn’t Conway going to work in the white house? So maybe she was holding out for something that suited her better? White house jobs are long hours at much less than could be made in the private sector that goes with the territory.

    Nothing wrong with either parent staying home. Nice work if you can get it or it suits you. Not surprising that Conway would lean toward the more traditional, but having a husband who works part time and drives the kid taxi is pretty awesome.

    You don’t link ton the article it’s to one of your Inc pieces.

  7. I would not accept such a job either. I have been offered management opportunities that would have paid more. However it would have cost much more that I could afford in hours and commitment. As a father I also need to be around for my family.

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