Lean In At A Young Age
I volunteer to inspire young girls to study hard and pick an academic route that could steer them towards the engineering and science fields. Israel’s 9th graders choose between different majors — calculus, chemistry, physics, and many others. That choice determines their ability to pursue a career path in the STEAM field.
One day, I was standing in the library of a school where I was scheduled to talk to thirty young females. I was excited — I brought with me some electronic devices and a story about the engineering and product process that made both of which possible. I had prepared a presentation about the way you could influence the world by imagining and designing it as you wish. .
A few minutes into my presentation, one of the girls raised her hand and asked me if I was a mother. “yes”, I answered. “ So why aren’t you more at home with your kids?” was her next question. I hadn’t even finished half of my presentation before this question left a dire mark on the room’s atmosphere. Her question assumed I chose to prioritize my work over my kids, also assuming that it was not possible to combine. I was shocked, a fourteen year old was sure that being an engineer means neglecting your kids. Suddenly Sheril Sandberg’s book “Lean in” had become a reality, as I realized young women at the age of fourteen might already lean out.
I did not finish my presentation that day. I chose, intead, to speak to them about the hardships of balancing work and family life (or: the hardships of work-life balance). In my own experience, you might feel torn between the demands of work and the rigors and desires of parenthood. But, it is worth it, as there is a balance between the worlds, sometimes tipping to one edge, sometimes to the other. While I don’t advocate STEAM career to all, I do encourage everyone to have as many options as they can, and open all the doors before choosing to walk a specific path.
