Laurie Kennedy-Malone

Professor of Nursing

I Don't Know How She Does It by Allison Pearson

When I received notice of tenure and promotion to associate professor nine years ago, my son Brendan was not yet a year old. Taking the time to read books for pleasure has been limited mainly to airplane trips to professional meetings. On one such trip, a friend recommended this book for me to read as I had related numerous episodes to her about trying to juggle life as an academician and an involved "working" mother. She had selected me to be her mentor as part of a professional nursing program not only because of my work as an educator but because of involvement in my child's life. Thus reading "I Don't Know How She Does It," I "cringed [and laughed!] with recognition" at some of the encounters the heroine in this tale of a working mom had, but realized that unlike the heroine, I have managed to remain in the workforce and happily involved in my son's life.