Friday Five #115
The motherhood edition
Hi Friends! I hope you’re having a wonderful week. This week, I attended my second Mother’s Day Tea (my son has only been in preschool for two years), and I have to say, it never gets old. After years of infertility and wondering if I’d ever get to call myself a mom, it’s something that I cherish. I love the little songs the class sings. I love how the teachers take time with preparing a folder of gifts that the kids made - poems with their little handprints, bookmarks with their little thumbprints, a tiny plant for us to take home, a book, “All About Mom” (I’m 9, by the way) — I adore every single second of it.
Life can get a little chaotic at times, but it’s not lost on me how lucky I am to be able to create my day so I can sit with my son at the Mother’s Day Tea.
Gratitude abounds.
Now, let’s get into this week’s Friday Five! This week, I’m highlighting five women I admire who are making this world a little better through their words, work, and creative pursuits.
I have been a listener of Emma Grede’s podcast, Aspire with Emma Grede, for a while now. I think her conversations are candid, real, and refreshing. I admire the wide array of guests she has on, too. So when her book came out, I was intrigued. And when the internet mobs and court of public opinion started berating her, I wanted to dig a little deeper. I’m a couple of chapters into the book, and I have to say, I love it thus far. Emma Grede went from sleeping in an apartment in London that didn’t have a fridge or a stove to building multiple multibillion-dollar businesses in the span of twenty years. That’s admirable. She openly gushes about her love for her husband and children. Again, something to celebrate. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, she spoke about how she spends about three hours with her children, and the internet exploded. How dare she do this, and I can’t believe that, and blah, blah, blah, blah. I honestly couldn’t care less how Grede wants to parent. (And let’s be honest, if your children are in school, and they sleep ten hours a night, there’s only six hours left in the day. So calm down, everyone.) The thing that bothers me about the outrage is that far too many mothers are still not comprehending that they should not be turning their outrage Grede or on one another, but instead, unleash their fury on the systems and structures that force people to parent in a way that they do not want to. That’s the issue. Not the three hours. But alas, I digress. Her book is great, and if you’re intrigued by businesswomen and entrepreneurship, I’d recommend it.
Liuba Grechen Shirley is the Founder & CEO of Vote Mama, and a mother of three. Her work is literally about helping elect mothers to public office — how cool is that? I mean, who better to run budgets, and get people talking, and get things accomplished than MOTHERS!? You can read her Substack here, and find out more about Vote Mama and how to get involved locally here.
Speaking of getting involved, around this time last year, I joined what I thought was a networking group. Really, it’s a sisterhood of some of the brightest, warmest, most interesting women in New York. Collectively, they could run the planet. Individually, they have made me a better human in the short time I have known them. The “group” is called The Spark Society, and really, it’s beyond networking. It’s a way to connect with women in real life, form friendships, and get outside of your house and see people beyond a Zoom call. The mastermind behind it all is Leah Wiseman Fink, who not only birthed The Spark Society and two children but is also a co-owner of Williamsburg Pizza, an author, and a coach. She’s one of the best things to happen to me in 2025, and I’d urge you to read her Substack, Party Cut. Because everyone is welcome at Leah’s party.
Amy Shoenthal is the USA TODAY bestselling author of The Setback Cycle. She’s a mother. She’s a TEDx speaker. She’s a journalist featured in Forbes, Harvard Business Review, and others. She’s the author of the Substack, The Sunday Setup, where she helps you kick off your week with less chaos and more clarity (it’s fantastic, you must read it), and she’s also my new friend (thanks to Leah and The Spark Society). Enter your week with more ease by subscribing here.
When I was, like, a year postpartum, I had no idea what I was doing. At anything. I felt so unsure of myself as a mom; my anxiety was through the roof. I was unsure how to put my feelings into words (as my writing had taken a back seat). Enter Ashlee Gadd. Ashlee is the founder of Coffee + Crumbs. She’s a photographer. She’s a writer. She’s a wife. She’s the mother of three kids. She is what is good about the internet, and the world, and she’s one of the first strangers who made me believe I could be both a writer and a mama. Her substack is called Create Anyway and her essays will make you laugh, make you cry, and restore your faith in humanity. Subscribe here.
That’s it for this week — but I loved writing this so much I think I’m going to feature more mamas and female friends in every Friday Five. Because we should be loud about the art that we love. Because this corner of the internet is about good attention.
Tell me your favorite mama Substack writers in the comments! And, if you liked this piece, think about sharing it with a friend. Or hitting that ♥️ button. Or subscribing. Or all three! Each option is so greatly appreciated, and a wonderful way to support this work, and help others find their way to this corner of the internet.
This is so amazing and meaningful and to see these words written in one of my favorite substacks means the world. Thank you Megan!!!
YOU ARE TOO KIND. Happy Mother's Day to you!!!