Where were you at in your music career when you had your first child? Was there much discussion about how that life choice would affect your career within the music/entertainment industry?
I wasn’t quite in the music industry yet when I had my first child. But I was just entering it immediately post-partum to my 2nd child. The life choice that my partner and I made was that I had to take the gig and the baby had to start daycare along with our toddler (at the too-young age of 4 months).
We discussed the reality that I wouldn’t be as present to raise the baby because of the job, but that life circumstances including paying the bills and putting food on the table were a part of our family survival. I had already been working for myself and wasn’t able to take a maternity leave/pay with #1, so being able to support the household even at 7 weeks post-birth was a necessary circumstance.
As a working parent in the music industry, what are some of the biggest challenges you are facing?
Resources, capacity and time.
My partner is an artist/producer himself. DL Incognito. With me on the business side for other artists and organizations, the music industry could run 24 hours a day for us if we let it. Between time zones, phone calls, shows, travelling, meetings, and industry events; trying to manage this and the family routine that’s needed with 3 kids; is just not physically possible. My biggest challenge is making sure I have the resources and capacity to have others in place so that I can be physically and mentally present with my children and spouse.
What is one change (big or small) within the industry that could make a positive impact for working parents?
A big change would be the policy addition of a Basic Income/Subsidized Income for working (gig) artists and arts professionals that includes access to social security benefits, health insurance, mental health services, pensions, and family allowances.
These are a couple of case references from other countries Canada can model.
Government of Ireland: Basic Income for Artists https://www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/09cf6-basic-income-for-the-arts-pilot-scheme/
Government of France: “Régime Social des Artistes-Auteurs” https://entreprendre.service-public.fr/vosdroits/F23749?lang=en
How do you find support and community with other working parents in or out of the music industry?
Having a social circle that also is in the industry helps. One of my favourites is a community and advocacy group called Moms at Work which was founded by Allison Venditti. Here I have found great advice, a great lawyer and even a great new friend. Also, parenting is a team sport. By acting as a community where parents feel supported, understood, and empowered to ask for help when they need it. A little extra grace goes a long way in building a stronger, more compassionate society for everyone.
What’s one specific example of an organization/venue/company doing something great to help support working parents?
If there was a babysitter’s service for music industry families all across Canada, that could be helpful. Not just for evenings or shows, but even be caregivers in the longer short run. It could be a generational steady stream of babysitters. Kids that were babysat in this network could then become babysitters themselves and then keep the circle going once they have kids, and so on. Let’s call it the “Music Babysitters Club” LOL.
What could a music event (festival, conference, etc.), do or provide to make it easier for you to participate?
Provide a dedicated caregiving suite that runs hours during the conference and showtimes of the festivals.
When we went to Junos this year, my partner and I brought out 3 kids, and my colleague brought her 2 boys. We took turns watching all 5 kids amongst 2 joined rooms, and at night a friend from the area recommended a family friend of theirs to babysit them for a couple of nights. It was hectic trying to arrange that all, though was an incredible educational experience for the kids being in historic Halifax for the awards show.
Can you shout out another music mama doing great things?
Shoutout and respect to Robyn Stewart, DJ Mel Boogie, Samantha Matusoff, Melissa Cameron-Passley, Kristen Burke, Melissa McMaster, Lisa Logutenkow and all the mami’s out here holding their families, and everyone down!
