32 LONGISLANDPRESS.COM • JULY 2019
PRESS HEALTH
HOW WOMEN ARE BALANCING WORK AND FAMILY
Stacey Rees, of Northport, is married
with four children. She and her husband,
Kyle, opened Island Kids Early
Childhood Center prior to the birth
of their first child. Organization,
flexibility and collaboration are what
she says keep both her family and her
business up and running.
“My children have all had chores
from very young ages and we work as
a team to make our larger family run
a little smoother,” she says, noting
that family members’ responsibilities
may change depending on needs.
“Delegation” is key at work and at
home, she says. “It is important that
my staff all understand and can fully
carry out our vision for the schools.”
"People say you can’t have it all, but
I would beg to disagree,” says Laura
Maier of Massapequa.
Maier and her husband, Jeff, have
three boys ages 3, 9, and 11 years
old. The Maiers are franchise owners
of Dairy Queen Grill & Chill
(Massapequa, Levittown, Huntington
and East Northport) and of Jersey
Mike’s Subs (Farmingdale, Massapequa
Park and Lindenhurst). Laura
Maier plans to run for Town Board
of Oyster Bay in the fall. The secret
to her family’s success is having “an
amazing husband and awesome kids,
a supportive family, and restaurant
managers that really care and are
invested in the company.”
To keep home and businesses operating
efficiently, the Maier family
strives to maintain an open line of
communication. Working outside
the home sets an example for her
children, she says.
“I’m teaching them that it is just as important
for a woman to earn a living
as it is for a man,” she says.
Administrating Facebook moms’
group, Long Island Amazing Moms
of Nassau and Suffolk, which boasts
nearly 22,000 members, has given
Fran Daniels, who is also a Talent
Acquisition Specialist at Winston
Staffing and director of social media
for Long Island Loyalty Rewards,
great insight into the most common
struggles faced by working mothers,
as well as what they value most.
“It’s the guilt moms feel when they
can’t be there to watch a baseball
game or juggling who’s going to watch
your child when she’s sick…and about
not going to work feeling like you will
get into trouble,” notes Daniels.
Daniels, who is married to Howard
and has a 12-year-old daughter,
says that women thrive on giving
and receiving support in tough
times.
“We see we are not alone on this journey,”
she says.
Over the course of her 47-year
career, St. James resident Natalie
Weinstein learned that being able
to prioritize, “accept you can’t do
everything,” and doing your best at
both jobs — family and career — has
an impact on success and happiness.
Finding your “happy place” at home
and work is paramount.
With two grown children (shared
with her late husband, Bernie) and
two grandchildren, Weinstein, owner
of Natalie Weinstein Design Associates
and Uniquely Natalie/Quality
Consignment Home Furnishings,
and founder of nonprofit Celebrate
St. James, knows the balancing act
well.
“Raising a family isn’t about just
being there,” she says. “When you’re
there, make it count.” Eat breakfast
with them; help them with their
homework. “Enjoy the process. Be
kind to yourself and value yourself
as a person.”
“Most people say you can’t have it all, but I
would beg to disagree,” says Laura Maier
continued from page 31
I AM UNIQUE.
I HAVE UNIQUE
NEEDS.
-Adolescent Gyn
-Nutrition
-Skin
-Mental health
-Working Papers
-Well visits
Dr. MARIGOLD CASTILLO, M.D.
ADOLESCENT MEDICINE
42-05 Francis Lewis Boulevard, Bayside, NY 11361
718.MD1.CARE www.MD1CARE.nyc
/718.MD1.CA
/LONGISLANDPRESS.COM
/www.MD1CARE.nyc
/www.MD1CARE.nyc
