10 Skills Every Mom Can Add to Her Résumé

Whether your weekday uniform is a suit or yoga pants and a fleece, if you're the head of your household, we have a feeling your résumé deserves an update (and an upgrade!). The responsibilities that come along with most day jobs pale in comparison to those of being a mom. From meal prep to homework help to the tougher stuff (mending a broken heart, diagnosing a learning disability . . . ), only the strong need apply to this 24-7 gig. And did we mention . . . there's no vacation time! Ever!

  1. Logistics Coordinator: In the early days, you honed these skills navigating the grocery store with an infant in the cart and a toddler by your side (attempting to grab everything within arm's reach, for that very necessary added challenge). As the kids get older, it's more about mapping out how one child is going to get to soccer practice while the other has his math tutor, Dad's traveling for business, the car is in the shop, and Mom has a conference call.
  2. Janitor: I'm willing to bet that every single mom reading this has dealt with most if not all of the following: diaper explosions, carsick kids, ketchup on the couch, Play-Doh in the carpet, jelly (or other unidentified sticky substance) on the car seat . . . you get the gist. No one said this was going to be glamorous, but we have no choice but to rise to the occasion!
  3. Chef: It doesn't matter if you spend all day on a kid-friendly coq au vin or you stick a tray full of frozen chicken nuggets into the toaster oven. You're still responsible for ensuring that everyone under your roof receives three meals/day, seven days/week, 52 weeks/year . . . oh, and the snacks. Did we mention the snacks?!
  4. Bookkeeper: As a general rule of thumb, once you've given birth, you should never, ever leave home without a checkbook in your bag and/or your mobile banking app downloaded. From the pediatrician to registering for after-school sports to contributing to the teacher's holiday gift, you always owe someone something. And then there's the fun task of keeping track of it all.
  5. Therapist: If you thought that the early years of trying to negotiate with a toddler were tough, just wait until the emotional roller coaster that is adolescence. You may not have gotten a degree in psychology, and you're most definitely not going to get to charge what a licensed therapist would, but you do have to be on call — all day, every day — as a sounding board and voice of reason and reassurance for your family.
  6. Advocate: From playground scuffles to friendships gone bad, before your kids can clearly express and stand up for themselves, that's Mom's job. And you better believe you'll become more impassioned about who's sharing their Elsa dolls and who's not than you ever thought possible.
  7. CEO: The buck stops with you. From managing "staff" (even if it is just the 16-year-old across the street coming over for a couple of hours to babysit), to setting a budget, to making high-level executive decisions (private school vs. public; whether or not a second income is necessary; is it time to add a new member to the family?), you're the captain of this ship.
  8. Executive Assistant: You may be the boss, but you're also responsible for the grunt work. All of it. That awkward call to RSVP for the party your 6-year-old really doesn't want to go to? It's on you. Ensuring that the pantry's stocked and beds are all made? That's just the beginning. But you don't need us to tell you that.
  9. Chauffeur: In addition to transporting your own gang safely and soundly, you're frequently tasked with toting around additional (nonpaying) passengers, too. You must provide these demanding backseat drivers with the appropriate soundtrack and snacks for their journeys — or you'll hear about it — for the whole entire drive.
  10. Multidisciplinary Tutor: It's funny because you don't remember signing up to homeschool your kids, but you better believe that staying on top of their academic careers is your responsibility. From Common Core math to Shakespeare for beginners and geography 101, we can't help but wonder, what on Earth did parents do before Google?!