As a mom who primarily works from home, I can totally relate to the lengths we go to in order to keep our kids from interrupting crucial calls. Forget about sticking them in front of the TV — that’s for rookies. After eight years of juggling work and motherhood from home, I quickly realized I had to be way more inventive than that.
I’ve taken calls from the bathroom, balancing my feet on the toilet seat to keep the kids from figuring out my secret hideout. One winter, I sat outside in a snowstorm just to have some quiet while my children were having a blast indoors on their school break. And then there was the time I let my sons play in the shower for an hour and a half while I had a long phone call, which led to a waterfall in our living room that my husband and I still avoid discussing.
Imagine my stress when my 10-year-old was home from school on the same day I had a one-on-one phone interview scheduled with Clara Barnett. My middle child is the kind of kid who thinks it’s hilarious to make loud fart noises right in my face and has no issue shouting my name from anywhere in the house if he needs something. So, when Clara hopped on the line and casually mentioned that her daughter, Lily, was also home and could come barging in at any moment, I felt a wave of relief wash over me.
Clara, who described Lily’s current obsession with opening and closing doors as a “big existential game of peekaboo,” was incredibly warm and down-to-earth. It was relatable, despite my own children engaging in water bottle flipping and practicing spontaneous belching techniques in the background.
Clara reminisced about her childhood in Arkansas, recalling Saturdays spent tagging along with her mom, who was “intensely close” to her. During those visits to her mom’s law office, Clara understood even as a child that these hours were a necessary sacrifice so that her mom could be present for family dinners during the week.
She fondly shared a memory of her grandmother, who once gifted her a pair of bright rainbow Velcro shoes, much to her mother’s dismay, as she wanted Clara to learn to tie laces. They struck a deal: for every day Clara tied her own shoes, she could wear the colorful Velcro ones, but never two days in a row.
Clara also reflected on her father’s first presidential campaign in 1992, a brief 13-month affair that she humorously referred to as the “good old days.” She expressed pride in her mom’s dedication, ensuring she spent almost every night at home with Clara throughout the campaign. You could hear the respect in her voice for the sacrifices working mothers make to ensure their children have stable lives, a sentiment echoing the chatter around when Clara’s husband was spotted taking Lily to preschool while she was on the campaign trail.
When Clara described her relationship with her mother as “intensely close,” it resonated deeply. For those of us fortunate enough to view our mothers as complex individuals rather than mere characters in our life stories, that understanding of closeness is profound. Clara articulated the puzzling disconnect between her mom as a person and her mom as a public figure, stating, “I have never understood the public narrative,” and she said it without a hint of bitterness.
Clara also shared her delight in watching her mother embrace the role of Grandma (without the ‘H,’ she emphasized) to Lily and her younger brother, who adore when she sings “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” to them, despite her less-than-stellar singing ability.
As Clara reflects on her mother standing on the brink of making history, she has clearly pondered ways to bridge that gap for her children, helping them see that their beloved Grandma can also be a powerful leader. In fact, Clara recently brought home a miniature action figure of her mom from a campaign event, and Lily loves taking it into the bath, asking Clara, “Why is Grandma no H?” in reference to the missing logo on the tiny figurine. Clara simply replied, “Because Grandma is the H.”
And she truly is.
For more insights into home insemination and to learn about the journey of motherhood, check out this excellent resource on in vitro fertilisation and explore this guide on an at-home insemination kit for all your needs.
In summary, Clara Barnett opens up about her experiences as a working mom, the challenges of balancing her career and family life, and her close relationship with her own mother. The conversation highlights the unique dynamics of public life and personal identity while underscoring the sacrifices many mothers make for their children’s well-being.