Natalie Walters isn’t the first female who has apologized after telling me she’s pregnant and will miss work. “I’ll be out during sweeps (one of the busiest times of the year in television news). I know the timing is bad,” she said.
Why in the world would someone have to apologize for something so special? The truth is — we (managers) have to start by blaming ourselves. I have to start by blaming myself.
Real talk: as a young manager, I probably looked at maternity leave as an inconvenience. My body language probably displayed that. Too often, I viewed employees as pieces to a puzzle. If one was going to be missing, what was I going to do?
With a few more years of experience under my belt (and a little more life lived), I look at pregnancy and maternity leave for what it is — an incredible opportunity for someone on our team to grow their family.
As an adoptive father, that’s even more true.
It’s critical we communicate that joy the moment we hear it — instead of focusing on any short-term complications leave might create in the office. We need to be confident enough to know our work family will figure things out, fill in the gaps, and proudly support their peer.
It’s great to have Natalie back from leave today. I’m thankful to her fellow meteorologists who picked up extra shifts and put in additional time. They did it with pride. No apology needed.
Hopefully, we’ll reach a day where women like Natalie don’t feel like they have to say sorry.
Until then, we have some work to do…
Austin Kellerman 
Love the Channel 4 news teams. Their morning program is the best
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This times a million! As much as my company prides itself on being family oriented, my supervisors are severely lacking in this department. So much so that I had extreme anxiety about coming back to work. Not even a week after giving birth, I would cry at just the thought of going back because of the pressure I felt from my supervisors the entire time I was pregnant.
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So blessed to read your post this morning. I love your open, honest thoughts and willingness to share. May your words of encouragement make this world a better place.
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I think for big companys like the news places and ECT. They should have like a nersury there at work so when the mom or dad has to go back to work they can take the baby with them. Because I honesty think up until the baby is 2 yeats of age it needs to be with mom or dad at work ( and I say momor dad because they are alot of single dads that dont get credit for) and the company pays for a full time nannys to run it and when the parent has a break they can go be with there baby and bond and yet still be at work.. It would cut down on big time of big bussiness having there best workers leaving or calling in cause of baby issues or mom having depression about leaving the baby at a young age or worring about her baby all day. This way she or dad can just go check on the baby with there own eyes and I ow baby is safe.. And if mom is breast feeding its so much easyer for her. I’m looking at this from a grandmothers point that has watch her own daughter loose her own job do to her having a baby and her boss fired her over the fact that she just couldnt leave her baby and go back to work after 4 weeks she knew that’s s
What the work policy was . But she didnt know her baby was gonna be born early and have to stay in the hospital longer but her boss didnt care. Anyway my point is parents shpuld be allowed more time with there babies and there jobs should not be but in risk of loosing it or javing to choose.. And nattie at kark 4 you are the greatest weather lady I watch u Mon- Fri welcome back ur babies r so sweet looking missed u but glad u took the time to be with ur babies merry late Christmas and Happy New Year to you All at KARK 4
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This is a great article and “food for thought” for other managers like yourself!
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