Dishwashing, Downtime & Dirty Socks: How Running a Plant Made Me a Better Mom
Plant Manager in training - but first…cookies.
Becoming a plant manager was one of the most unexpected and biggest leaps of my career—it was exciting, intense, and incredibly rewarding. At the same time, I was navigating the wild, emotional, and ever-unpredictable journey of raising our two kids. At first glance, the roles of plant manager and parent couldn’t look more different. One is full of KPIs, schedules, and machinery. The other is cooking, laundry, Legos, and school events.
Quickly after starting my new career journey, I began to see how deeply the two roles were connected. The more I grew as a leader at work, the more intentional, steady, and flexible I became at home. And the things I learned from my kids made me a more compassionate, connected manager. Instead of separating work and life, I’ve learned to let them teach and inform each other.
Here’s what I’ve discovered—at work and at home—that has made me a better mom….
Expect the Unexpected & Go with the Flow
Anyone who works in a plant can tell you that no two days in manufacturing are the same. On one hand, it’s exciting. On the other, you just want one day to go according to plan. You can have everything lined up perfectly—and then someone calls off, a line goes down, or a piece of equipment fails. The gears are turning 24/7. You learn to adapt quickly, build backup plans, and keep your cool without getting emotionally frazzled.
Sound like a day with kids? It’s the same at home. Your “equipment” might be your dishwasher (which, in our house, has been down for a few months), your car, or your water heater—things that love to surprise us by breaking. Your team members might be your kids, who wake up with a fever the day you have an important meeting. The key? Have a plan… and plans B and C.
I remember when my kids were infants and toddlers—it was inevitable that one of them would have a blowout or throw up on your favorite outfit right before walking out the door. Now that they’re teens, thankfully there’s less spit-up, but we’re still scrambling for shoes, grabbing Pop-Tarts, and dragging bookbags out the door. Roll with it because your stress will only add to the situation and you don’t want to end up adding more time and drama to an already tense situation. Expect the unexpected, and you’ll never be surprised!
The lesson? Flexibility isn’t a weakness—it’s leadership. Whether you’re at work or at home, the ability to shift gears with grace is what turns a bad day into a manageable one. You get to choose.
Visiting mom at work and putting in some quality typing practice
Build a Plan Together
One of the best parts of being a plant manager was knowing I wasn’t doing it alone. I had managers, engineers, supervisors, and operators—all working toward the same goals. We’d meet regularly to talk through what was working, what wasn’t, and how to improve. I trusted my team, and we succeeded because we built our systems together. Open communication was critical. No one had all the answers, and that was okay. It was the diversity of thought and the willingness to speak up that made us strong.
At home, it’s the same. As a mom, I want to carry it all—but I don’t have to. My kids, my partner, and my support system all have skills, ideas, and input to offer. We plan our days, weeks, and even the school year together. Sunday evenings are our time to align on the week ahead. And let me tell you, the kids have great ideas—when I remember to include them. I still catch myself thinking of them as little ones who were part of my plan, but now it’s our plan.
What have I learned? You’re not alone. Teams thrive when everyone feels valued, included, and involved in the plan.
Share Goals and High Fives
Great performance only happens when everyone knows what they’re working toward. At the plant, we shared our daily, weekly, and monthly goals. We celebrated wins—big and small. We tracked our progress and made it visible. Talking about winning is great, but checking in on the results is where the growth happens. When we share a common goal, we show up for each other.
It took me a while to realize that kids—whether toddlers or teens—are ready to set goals, work hard, and take ownership. I sometimes forget to leave “baby mode” behind and let them step up. My inner mama bear still wants to do it all for them, but I’ve learned that not sharing the goals leads to frustration and burnout.
So, we started setting goals as a family. Do we always follow through? Nope. My husband and I have failed repeatedly at chore charts and reward systems. So now? We wing it. It works for us.
When the house is messy—we clean it.
When laundry piles up—we wash it.
When someone needs lunch for school—they make it.
One thing that has worked? Thursday cleaning. Weird, right? But Friday is for collapsing, and weekends are for fun. So Thursday it is!
As we talk about goals and independence, we also talk about values. Respect, kindness, and teamwork matter. Sharing the workload and showing up for each other matters. We hope those lessons stick—at school, at work, and in life.
Once again, plant life and mom life intersect. When we’re all aligned on the why, we can figure out the how together.
“Showing Up” Differently Is a Gift
At the plant, every team member had their own story and motivation. Some wanted to grow into leadership. Others wanted reliability and stability. I learned to meet people where they were and celebrate them as individuals. The diversity of perspective was what made our team strong—and it was an honor to be a part of it.
So if I’ve learned to appreciate that kind of diversity at work, why expect my kids to act, think, and respond the same way as each other ro exactly like me?
My kids are wildly different—and they love to remind each other of that (usually by bickering). One is super independent and self-directed. The other needs encouragement and attention to detail. Some mornings are smooth sailing. Others make my eyes twitch. But when I stopped expecting them to fit into my mold and started really listening, I found a deeper appreciation for who they truly are.
How am I better? By realizing that leading—whether it’s a team member or a child—starts with listening, understanding, and showing up with curiosity.
Final Thoughts: Bring the Best of You Home
Running a manufacturing plant taught me how to lead with both heart and structure. It taught me how to stay calm, communicate clearly, and trust the people around me. And surprisingly, all of those lessons have helped me become a more present, supportive, and intentional mom.
Because at the end of the day—whether we’re managing machines or messy rooms, adults or tiny humans—we’re building teams. And when those teams feel seen, heard, and united around a shared mission?
That’s when the real magic happens.
