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Yahoo
24-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
In-N-Out heiress doubles down on California staying company's HQ, but says Tennessee office opening allows staff better chances to buy a home
In-N-Out's owner Lynsi Snyder reaffirmed the company's headquarters will remain in California, despite her family's upcoming move to Tennessee to support the burger chain's eastern expansion. Snyder emphasized her deep ties to California and the brand's heritage, but cited cost-of-living challenges as a reason for offering employees new opportunities to raise families and buy homes in more affordable states. The billionaire president and heiress of the In-N-Out burger empire has reaffirmed her commitment to keeping the company's headquarters in California, after telling a podcast earlier this week that her family will be moving to Tennessee where the business is opening a new office to support growth. Lynsi Snyder is the fourth in her family to lead the business, which was first opened by her grandfather Harry nearly 80 years ago with a store in Baldwin Park. The business has rapidly expanded since then, with locations now stretching into states like Texas and Colorado, and a new eastern territories office planned for Franklin, Tennessee. Speaking on the 'Relatable' podcast earlier this week, Snyder said her family will be moving east while the business will continue to handle the bulk of its operations from its home state of California. Snyder explained her reasons for the personal move: 'There's a lot of great things about California, but raising a family is not easy here. Doing business is not easy here. The bulk of our stores are still going to be here in California, but it will be wonderful having an office … growing out there.' Since the podcast, Snyder has clarified and reconfirmed that the company—which has become somewhat emblematic of the California food scene—is committed to the Golden State and is not moving its headquarters to Tennessee. In a video posted to her Instagram page, Snyder told followers: 'We're not leaving California, or leaving our roots behind. Each one of our locations is here to stay.' If anything, the company is doubling down on its commitment to its heritage, with Snyder telling the podcast that the company's two offices in Baldwin Park and Irvine would be consolidating under the roof of the former—the site of its original home. In the update posted to her social media, she continued: 'Moving into Tennessee provides our In-N-Out associates wonderful opportunities to buy a home and raise a family, and be part of our expansion in a different part of the U.S.' 'Where I raise my family has nothing to do with my love and appreciation for our customers in California,' the mother-of-four added. Cost-of-living considerations For In-N-Out employees either in stores or their head office, achieving the dream of owning a home is particularly tough in the brand's home state. Per data from Zillow, the average price of a home in California is upwards of $786,000, while a 2022 study from nonprofit Child Care Aware of America (CCAoA) found the average annual infant center-based childcare cost was $18,201. Tennessee, by contrast, has an average home price of a little under $335,000—less than half of its Cali counterpart—and respective childcare costs come in at approximately $10,800 a year. These are facts Snyder seems well aware of. The woman worth $7.3 billion per Forbes continued in her social video: 'There's so many opportunities for people to own homes in Tennessee and even some of the surrounding states that we could possibly end up in. It's tough here in California and this doesn't have to do with my love or loyalty to the state and our customers, but I love our associates and I would love to offer them this, just like we've offered other states that provide different things to them. 'The dream of of a home and a family is more feasible there for sure.' Snyder's path to taking over the top role and the ownership of the company has not been a straightforward one. Her uncle, Rich Snyder, took the helm of the company in 1976 following the death of its founder—his father, Harry Snyder, and his mother, Esther. But Rich himself died in a plane crash in 1993 with Snyder's father, Guy, taking over the running of the company. However, Snyder's father died in 1999, leaving Lynsi—at the age of 17—the last of her family custodian of the empire. Despite this succession of events, Snyder said the commitment of In-N-Out today, on a much larger scale, is the same as that of her grandparents: 'We are committed to quality, that's something that I know people understand. We're one of the most trusted brands because of that, because we don't cut corners, we don't compromise, and we don't sacrifice the very high standards that were set by my grandparents and my father and my uncle.' She concluded: 'We never forget our roots, and I talk all the time about the tiny little stand that my grandparents ran and the handful of people that did it and how starting there, we've ended up with over 40,000 associates in this family, and we keep doing the same thing that we did in 1948.' This story was originally featured on
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
In-N-Out heiress doubles down on California staying company's HQ, but says Tennessee office opening allows staff better chances to buy a home
In-N-Out's owner Lynsi Snyder reaffirmed the company's headquarters will remain in California, despite her family's upcoming move to Tennessee to support the burger chain's eastern expansion. Snyder emphasized her deep ties to California and the brand's heritage, but cited cost-of-living challenges as a reason for offering employees new opportunities to raise families and buy homes in more affordable states. The billionaire president and heiress of the In-N-Out burger empire has reaffirmed her commitment to keeping the company's headquarters in California, after telling a podcast earlier this week that her family will be moving to Tennessee where the business is opening a new office to support growth. Lynsi Snyder is the fourth in her family to lead the business, which was first opened by her grandfather Harry nearly 80 years ago with a store in Baldwin Park. The business has rapidly expanded since then, with locations now stretching into states like Texas and Colorado, and a new eastern territories office planned for Franklin, Tennessee. Speaking on the 'Relatable' podcast earlier this week, Snyder said her family will be moving east while the business will continue to handle the bulk of its operations from its home state of California. Snyder explained her reasons for the personal move: 'There's a lot of great things about California, but raising a family is not easy here. Doing business is not easy here. The bulk of our stores are still going to be here in California, but it will be wonderful having an office … growing out there.' Since the podcast, Snyder has clarified and reconfirmed that the company—which has become somewhat emblematic of the California food scene—is committed to the Golden State and is not moving its headquarters to Tennessee. In a video posted to her Instagram page, Snyder told followers: 'We're not leaving California, or leaving our roots behind. Each one of our locations is here to stay.' If anything, the company is doubling down on its commitment to its heritage, with Snyder telling the podcast that the company's two offices in Baldwin Park and Irvine would be consolidating under the roof of the former—the site of its original home. In the update posted to her social media, she continued: 'Moving into Tennessee provides our In-N-Out associates wonderful opportunities to buy a home and raise a family, and be part of our expansion in a different part of the U.S.' 'Where I raise my family has nothing to do with my love and appreciation for our customers in California,' the mother-of-four added. Cost-of-living considerations For In-N-Out employees either in stores or their head office, achieving the dream of owning a home is particularly tough in the brand's home state. Per data from Zillow, the average price of a home in California is upwards of $786,000, while a 2022 study from nonprofit Child Care Aware of America (CCAoA) found the average annual infant center-based childcare cost was $18,201. Tennessee, by contrast, has an average home price of a little under $335,000—less than half of its Cali counterpart—and respective childcare costs come in at approximately $10,800 a year. These are facts Snyder seems well aware of. The woman worth $7.3 billion per Forbes continued in her social video: 'There's so many opportunities for people to own homes in Tennessee and even some of the surrounding states that we could possibly end up in. It's tough here in California and this doesn't have to do with my love or loyalty to the state and our customers, but I love our associates and I would love to offer them this, just like we've offered other states that provide different things to them. 'The dream of of a home and a family is more feasible there for sure.' Snyder's path to taking over the top role and the ownership of the company has not been a straightforward one. Her uncle, Rich Snyder, took the helm of the company in 1976 following the death of its founder—his father, Harry Snyder, and his mother, Esther. But Rich himself died in a plane crash in 1993 with Snyder's father, Guy, taking over the running of the company. However, Snyder's father died in 1999, leaving Lynsi—at the age of 17—the last of her family custodian of the empire. Despite this succession of events, Snyder said the commitment of In-N-Out today, on a much larger scale, is the same as that of her grandparents: 'We are committed to quality, that's something that I know people understand. We're one of the most trusted brands because of that, because we don't cut corners, we don't compromise, and we don't sacrifice the very high standards that were set by my grandparents and my father and my uncle.' She concluded: 'We never forget our roots, and I talk all the time about the tiny little stand that my grandparents ran and the handful of people that did it and how starting there, we've ended up with over 40,000 associates in this family, and we keep doing the same thing that we did in 1948.' This story was originally featured on
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The Post-America Moms Club Helping Families Start Over in Europe
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. One wrong turn in Mallorca, and Suset Laboy was texting 70 other mothers for help. She was driving her four-year-old twin daughter to school earlier this year when she swerved to avoid a serious crash, but still got rear-ended. She was fine. Her daughter was fine. But her heart was racing, and she had no idea what to do next in a country with rules she didn't fully understand. Back in Brooklyn, where she'd lived for 14 years before moving abroad, she would've known exactly how to handle it. In Spain, she opened WhatsApp. The thread she turned to wasn't just any group chat—it was Mother Euro, a growing community and relocation service founded by two American moms to support women who've left the U.S. behind in search of something better. Part concierge, part lifeline, Mother Euro connects moms with everything from visa lawyers to pediatricians to the best iced coffee in town. The network currently includes 80 members, and while most are based in Spain, the U.K. is their second-largest hub, with plans to expand across other European markets. 'I didn't feel comfortable living in the U.S. anymore,' says Alice Kim, an American citizen and Mother Euro member who moved from California back to her birthplace, Seoul, before settling in Barcelona with her husband and two-year-old son. 'I was worried about the political climate. My friends raising their kids there would talk about gun violence and how the kids would have to prepare for breathing without their chest moving. Our American dream really got shattered.' Kim isn't alone. A growing number of Americans are considering or actively planning to relocate to Europe, driven by concerns over political and social issues, including racial equity and LGBTQ+ rights. Relocation firms have reported increased inquiries, citing political polarization, threats to personal rights, and safety concerns. Applications for British citizenship by Americans have reached record highs. The day after Trump's second election, Google searches for how to leave the U.S. spiked by over 1,500 percent. Even celebrities have made exit plans: Rosie O'Donnell moved to Ireland in March. Ellen DeGeneres reportedly relocated to the U.K. last fall, as did Courtney Love. We're not just a relocation service. We're a village. We want to build each other up. For mothers in particular, the push factors are hard to ignore. The U.S. has the highest maternal mortality rate among developed countries, and since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, access to life-saving care can depend on your zip code. Meanwhile, child care costs have soared—averaging $11,582 annually, according to Child Care Aware of America—and in many places, the cost of caring for two children now exceeds the cost of housing. So last fall two American moms, Emily San Jose, 34, and Maggie Gavilán, 32, launched Mother Euro, a membership-based community designed to help women navigate the move abroad and build a life once they're there. Aspiring members pay $1,500 a year for full relocation support, while Resident members who are already living abroad pay $500 annually to join a network of local moms and access the group's resources, meetups, and ongoing assistance. It's part WhatsApp hive mind, part on-the-ground network for everything from kids' weird rashes to the best local cafés to hit with toddlers in tow. It's also where a member can seek advice when, say, she's rear-ended in a new country and not sure how insurance works in Spain. 'We're not just a relocation service. We're a village,' says Gavilán. 'We want to build each other up. A traditional relocation specialist is going to be, you know, the guy that your dad's company set you up with. He's gonna show you, you know, the best moving company. And we have all those things, but we bring in the emotional factor that we know is so important as women and as moms.' In addition to real estate agents and top-notch immigration lawyers, Mother Euro connects members with nutritionists, multilingual therapists, and barre studios. When I mention someone who moved to Spain to access IVF, which is significantly cheaper there than in the U.S., Gavilán jumps in: 'Do we have a partner for IVF? Not yet. But if you need one tomorrow? We'll find them.' Most moms hear about Mother Euro through San Jose, the Madrid-based cofounder better known as @MamaInMadrid. The Oregon native moved to Spain immediately after college, with a plan to stay for a year, make money as an au pair, and travel in her free time. One month later, she met her Spanish husband. They eventually moved back to the Pacific Northwest for five years, but returned to Spain in 2021 to be closer to family. Online, San Jose is poised, mixing aspirational ease with dry humor in near-perfect Castilian Spanish. Take, for example, the blackout in Spain and Portugal in April. In a post about it on Instagram, San Jose tells the camera she was in the gym when it happened—aspirational!—and says, 'I went into flight or fight mode. My husband says that that is a very American reaction, to sort of catastrophize things. Fine with me if that's going to be my reaction in this situation.' Relatable! Among 30-something U.S. expats, San Jose is a bit of a celebrity. Proof: When I told a Spanish acquaintance that I was interviewing American moms in Madrid, she squeed, 'Do you know MamaInMadrid?!' Further proof: Gavilán, Mother Euro's cofounder, DMed San Jose last year when she was considering moving to Madrid, too. She has dual citizenship and wanted to be closer to her family. 'I saw this really pretty blonde girl living in Spain, speaking fluent Spanish, and I was like, maybe she'll be my friend,' she says. They met for drinks the next time Gavilán visited, shut down the bar, and took a few blurry two a.m. selfies. Gavilán got pregnant soon after, and started seriously planning her family's relocation. 'Raising children and even just being a pregnant woman in the States, transparently, felt really scary,' she says. 'So I wanted to give my kids and myself, selfishly—and I can be selfish—a better life.' Of course, moving to Europe isn't always as romantic as it sounds. There are visas to secure, cultural nuances to decode, and costs to consider. (Gavilán estimates relocation costs around $15,000, though it varies widely.) As she navigated her own move, friends and strangers began reaching out for advice. 'I'm telling you, I was on the phone until two a.m. sometimes trying to help moms with finding the right attorney or with the right education consultant because they didn't understand the nuances between the US and EU system and how that would work, which, I didn't either when I was figuring it out,' she says. That's when she realized there was a real need for a service that could guide women through it—not just logistically, but emotionally. 'People want to do this,' she says. 'But they want to feel as though they're in community with somebody doing it, either at the same time, or who has already done it—and also somebody who they want to hang out with.' Raising children and even just being a pregnant woman in the States, transparently, felt really scary. Though most of the Mother Euro action happens online, the group hosted its first IRL event in April: a dinner party in Madrid to celebrate the official launch. Thirty women flew in from Costa Brava, Mallorca, and London.'There were so many badass women there,' says Kim, who traveled from Barcelona to attend. During an icebreaker, members were first instructed to 'step in' if they were born in the U.S. For the second prompt, they were asked to take a step in if they were a business owner. 'I think three-fourths of the room stepped in,' she says. 'After that I was like, I'm going to have to step up my game.' She sat next to Heather, an American mom who's lived in Europe for 17 years, and peppered her with questions about schooling. Heather insisted on local schools over international ones. 'Now I'm leaning local too,' Kim says. 'Because more and more I feel like I don't want my son to go to a U.S. college after living all his adolescence in Europe. It would feel like a back step.' Mother Euro is expensive, on top of all the other costs that go into moving your life somewhere else, and it's not not luxury service. But it's one that 200-plus women are willing to pay; that's how many applicants Gavilán says they've been receiving per month. One aspiring member, who is planning a move to Madrid after her second child is born, says her membership has already been worth it. She explained that it was especially helpful for navigating Spain's Beckham Law, which allows foreign workers to pay significantly less in income tax than Spanish citizens, and far less than they would in the U.S. Still, upending your life to relocate to Europe isn't a panacea, nor is it easy. Moving abroad is a privilege and a struggle—both things can be true. Even the founders are still figuring things out as they go along: Gavilán is currently weighing public versus private hospitals in Madrid for her C-section; Laboy misses the diversity of Brooklyn. But for Laboy, the hardest part has been leaving her sister and parents behind. 'It feels sad, and at the same time, it feels like the right choice for us at this very moment,' she says, tears forming. 'It's very important for me to recognize that this move is a privilege that not everybody has.' 'Still,' she adds, 'living here feels like an exhale.' This community really helps me mentally. Mother Euro affirms something mothers around the world have always known: When women are part of the conversation, everyone wins. '[Our launch dinner party] reminded us that mothers will travel near and far to be seen, supported, and celebrated by their communities,' Gavilán recapped over email after the event. 'Listening to everyone share their stories on why they moved, what they're seeking, and how they're building their lives abroad—it was a powerful affirmation of why we created this space.' It also proves that no matter where you are, whether you're figuring out tax residency or just daycare culture, motherhood still takes a village. Like when Kim's son came home from his Spanish daycare with a goodie bag. 'I was like, 'Wait, was there a birthday party I didn't know about? Am I missing something? Do I need to send a gift?'' So she hit up the Mother Euro chat, where San Jose explained that in Spain, the birthday kid gifts their friends—instead of the other way around. The same goes for adults: if you host the dinner, you pick up the check. 'This community really helps me mentally,' Kim says. She's since made a real-life friend in Barcelona through Mother Euro, and the two are going to an Imagine Dragons concert this summer. 'Making friends when you're older is harder, but within Mother Euro, we all have so many commonalities that it just helps us click. I'm confident that whoever is in it shares the same values.' And after arriving in Spain in February, she hasn't looked back.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
KinderCare offers free day of care for military families
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) – KinderCare Learning Centers is offering a free day of care for military families in honor of National Month of the Military Child. Families of any branch can redeem the free day between April 15 and May 16. 'We're proud to support and show our gratitude towards the families who serve our country through our free day for military families,' said Dr. Marquita Davis, Chief Academic Officer for KinderCare. 'The nuances of the military lifestyle impact families as much as individuals serving. Military families face unique challenges when seeking reliable and consistent child care amidst frequent relocations and transitions.' Vietnam veteran finds PTSD relief with RTM therapy KinderCare and Child Care Aware of America have a partnership that offers active duty families child care tuition assistance. Being a national company means military families can easily switch between centers as they relocate. There is also a subsidy program for active-duty members of the Coast Guard; National Park Services; Customs and Border Protection; and General Services Administration employees who are not near on-base care. Air Force Museum pauses social media activity 'Access to affordable off-base childcare for military families with young children is critical,' said Francisco Jamison, Vice President of Military Programs and Executive Director of Respite Care of America. 'Child Care Aware of America knows that child care is a mission readiness factor and a force multiplier.' To find KinderCare centers in the Miami Valley or to sign up for the free day, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


USA Today
21-03-2025
- Business
- USA Today
'No mute button for a toddler.' How thousands of parents juggle remote work and parenting
'No mute button for a toddler.' How thousands of parents juggle remote work and parenting Show Caption Hide Caption Workers prefer flexibility as companies roll out return-to-office mandates Nearly a quarter of workers say their companies rolled out a return-to-office mandate in the past year, despite a preference for remote, hybrid work. Scripps News Alisha Horton said her best work gets done at 5:30 each morning, while her baby and toddler are still sleeping. When 11-month-old Octavia and 3-year-old Matthew wake up between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m., Horton feeds them breakfast and prepares for her morning meeting. Hopefully Octavia is back to sleep by then, Horton said, and Matthew is occupied with a quiet activity like Play-Doh or coloring. But 'toddlers are toddlers,' she said, and it doesn't always go the way she plans. As a work-from-home parent of two, Horton said virtual meetings are her biggest challenge. 'I'm trying to have a conversation with an adult about something at work, and he's kind of tugging on my arm. 'Mommy, can I do this? Mommy, can I do that?'' Horton, a consultant for an insurance company, said. 'He's used to having me available to him at all times.' Horton, who lives near Nashville, is one of thousands of parents who work from home without traditional childcare. With childcare costs skyrocketing at nearly twice the pace of inflation – and childcare for two kids outpricing rent in all 50 states, according to a 2023 report by the nonprofit Child Care Aware of America – many families are staying afloat financially by keeping their kids at home during remote work. In a series of surveys by the U.S. Census Bureau in 2024, about 1 in 10 adults with kids said their household did not have childcare because options were "closed, unavailable, unaffordable" or unsafe. Of those parents, nearly one-third said they supervised their kids while working. This includes people who work at home and those who take their kids to work with them. On any given day, that's true for an estimated 2.3 million American workers. More: Raising children is expensive. Some parents want it on the ballot Some parents say juggling work and kids have made them master multitaskers and even believe that their commitment to their jobs makes them better parents in the end. But what's best for young kids? 'Young children aren't really designed to sit aside you while you do an hour Zoom call with other adults,' Chad Dunkley, CEO of New Horizon Academy, said. New Horizon has childcare facilities in Minnesota, Idaho, Iowa, Colorado and Kansas. Dunkley is particularly worried about parents who distract their little ones at home with electronic devices. Even so, Dunkley said he understands that many families can't afford childcare, and that some parents who can afford it simply prefer to have their kids at home. Susan Wood, a mortgage loan officer in York, Pennsylvania, said she was making just $18 an hour when she gave birth to her daughter in 2023. A single mother at the time, she debated taking an office job with slightly higher pay. But no amount of money, Wood said, would have been worth the time she got to spend at home with her newborn. 'I wanted her here with me,' Wood said. Working while parenting: A juggle and a luxury Horton always saw herself being a stay-at-home mom. But that's 'just not doable' in today's economy, she said, especially with the student loans she and her husband are still paying off. She likes her work and keeps her job to help support her family. But even with a childcare discount through her employer, she and her husband found it would cost about half of her salary to send their son to daycare. And anyways, Horton would rather be near her kids. She's there when Matthew completes a new puzzle for the first time, and when he learns how to write a new letter. These days, she's watching Octavia learn to walk. 'I get to watch them grow and learn in real time,' Horton said. 'And I think a lot of moms miss out on that when they're working.' This juggle − while exhausting − is a luxury. Remote work "isn't really a possibility" for a lot of low-wage workers, Katherine Gallagher Robbins, senior research fellow for the National Partnership for Women & Families, said. People in the food and service industry, for instance, can't work from home. And on top of earning low wages, these parents have the burden of finding and often paying for childcare. These jobs typically don't come with paid leave, either. In the U.S. Census Bureau surveys, the parents who supervised kids while working because they found childcare unattainable were mostly white, and the majority had a household income of $75,000 or more. Remote work led more women to enter the workforce, Robbins said. But women in the U.S. still trail behind peer countries like Canada and Germany in terms of workforce participation. 'The research shows that people would like to work at home more than they are able to do,' Robbins said. 'I feel like my son is missing out' by staying at home Not all parents who work remotely want their kids to stay home with them. Rebecca Hernandez is a single mother who works remotely from her South Florida home while caring for her 2-year-old son, Anthony. There are "a lot of distractions throughout the day," she said. She's often coordinating changing Anthony's diaper and logging onto a meeting on time. Her family lives out of state and she doesn't have a strong support system nearby. If she could, Hernandez said she would send her son to a childcare facility at least a few days a week. But childcare is expensive, and her salary is just over the threshold to qualify for Florida's childcare assistance program. "I don't make enough, and I make too much," Hernandez said. She feeds Anthony on her breaks and tries to get him out to the park when she can. She finds moments throughout her work day to teach him about colors, shapes, numbers and letters. But she's worried that her son isn't getting what he needs, educationally or socially. She wishes the government would look at individual family's situations to determine who gets childcare assistance. "I feel like my son is missing out on so much," she said. Childcare costs are only going up, Dunkley said. 'We kind of have a 'your kids are your problem' approach," Dunkley said. "But in reality, society is better off when children are thriving.' 'Why are we asking parents to deprioritize their children?' Many parents who were able to work from home during the pandemic are being asked to return to the office, even though nearly half of remote workers say they'd leave their job if they had to go back to fully in-person work, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey. Some employers worry that too much flexibility could impact productivity, while others believe workers should be able to rearrange their schedule to fit their lifestyle. "The pandemic taught us that we trust our people,' said Amy Bouque, chief people officer for Kelly, a human resources consulting company. Kelly offered remote work options for low-wage workers long before the pandemic through its call center, which employs about 3,000 fully remote workers. The company prides itself on creating workplace options for women. When expectations are clear and employees hit their goals, they don't need to be 'bound to a clock,' Bouque said. Flexible work hours aren't just helpful for parents working remotely – they're a necessity. Michael Perry, who lives in Santa Barbara, California, was an executive at Shopify when his first son was born. Of the first four months of his son's life, Perry said he was gone for two of them. Perry realized that working parents don't have close to enough support culturally, in the private sector or through government policies. He left his job and developed an app, Maple, that he hopes can alleviate at least some of the stresses that working parents face each day. Maple is an organization tool that helps parents manage schedules and household chores. It's about much more than a business venture for Perry, though. Through Maple, he is on a mission to change the way society talks about working and parenting. He doesn't want to just normalize the integration of work and family life – he's advocating for government and industry leaders to help make life easier for working parents. 'Why are we asking parents to deprioritize their children?' Perry said. He suggests managers use the money set aside for company happy hours and coffee runs to send their workers lunch at home. Workers shouldn't feel awkward sitting with their child on their lap during a work meeting, he said. And people should be able to step away from a work call to care for their kids, without guilt. Parents who work remotely don't end up working less, Perry stressed. Instead, they spread their work hours outside of the traditional 9 to 5. 'The work will always be there," Perry said. Lauren Ezzell, head of family experience for Maple, said working from home has made her a better parent. She's more focused and productive during her "on" time for work, and more present when she has dedicated time with their children. Still, it isn't easy. "There is no mute button for a toddler throwing a tantrum while you're on a client call," she said. Madeline Mitchell's role covering women and the caregiving economy at USA TODAY is funded by a grant from Pivotal Ventures. Pivotal Ventures does not provide editorial input. Reach Madeline at memitchell@ and @maddiemitch_ on X.