We talk to Jane Clayson Johnson, the former host of the CBS Early Show. She shatters the myths of Motherhood and give us the credit we all deserve. 

Getting to Know Jane Clayson Johnson
Jane was the co-host of the CBS Early Show.  She left her job to become a mother and embraces motherhood as more important than being a news anchor and covering  9/11 and other important stories.  Jane is mother Ella, 2 1/2, and William, 14 months and stepmother to three children, ages 10-14.

In her new book I Am A Mother, Jane describes hearing the phrase “I’m just a mother” from so many bright and talented women she knew.   When she left her gig at the Early Show, many colleagues asked her “What have you done? What will you do now that you’re just a mother?”

However, being the insightful woman that Jane is, she understood what others did not—that motherhood matters and that it is more important than anything you can do.  I Am a Mother is Jane’s first book on Motherhood and its importance.  All of us at Babies and Moms Radio have read it and LOVE it.  It is not sappy, not overdone, and not preachy. It is a great look in to what mothering is really like and how much it should be valued. 

Jane talks about her decision to leave her career and become a mother–how people reacted and how she responded.  She will also be talking about how we can reclaim motherhood and empower us as mothers.

Jane’s book discusses the Four Myths of Motherhood:

Myth 1: You will be in control … you are the mother, after all!  As a mother you start out going one place and end up somewhere else and that is OK. 

Jane also explains that “motherhood is all about seeing the big picture, especially when so many of the things you do don’t last — folded laundry, washed dishes, a clean house.”

When things don’t go as planned, you can fall apart or you can teach your children a lesson about flexibility and change. “You have to focus on the long-term and let the rest go. Each day we are only taking tiny stitches in the grand quilt.”

Myth 2: Needing help is a sign of weakness. Her son William was born prematurely and spent time in the NICU unit. “The women of my (LDS Church) ward united to help me take care of my little family, and I learned, among so many other things, that I was not alone.”
    
Myth 3: You must do it all, all the time.  The term “Supermom” is one of the worst terms for mothers because it is unrealistic.  “Sometimes — most times — you can’t do it all. You have to give yourself permission to take a break, to leave some things undone.” You also have to take time for yourself.  

Myth 4: Motherhood means a loss of identity.   Actually, motherhood can help you identify your true self as you face the challenges. “I know who I am, what my strengths and talents and abilities are.”

If you missed a show or want to share a specific show with a friend, podcasts are  on www.babiesandmomsradio.com or you can subscribe to Babies and Moms on iTunes

Send your emails and questions, your MOMents and your AHA’s to info@babiesandmomsradio.com 

 

 Jane Clayson Johnson--Motherhood! [27:00m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This entry was posted on Friday, May 11th, 2007 at 6:57 am and is filed under Stop Tantrums, Start Conversations, All in the Family, Podcasts/Shows. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.