Mandy Greenlee Crowdfunded Maternity Leave
Donation protected
Dear star family of Mandalena Luz (aka Mandy Greenlee),
Hey everyone! This is Olivia Frazao (aka Glow). I’m feeling called to bring the community together in support of Mandy and baby Anaiya…
TLDR SUMMARY:
This is an invitation to collect donations to a Maternity Leave fund for Mandy and baby Anaiyana! As Mandy is a single mom without child support from the father, and a healer without paid maternity leave from an employer, my idea was to create a community-funded Maternity Leave for her and baby, so that they can have more consistent time together! I hope this idea can catch on as a new addition for how community comes together to care for babies, similar to how baby showers are a tradition.
HERE ARE ALL THE DETAILS:
HOW THEY’VE BEEN
I’ve traveled to Boulder twice since baby Anaiyana was born to visit Mandy and baby and have seen the absolutely gorgeous attachment bond between them… It’s way above the norm... Mandy has a deeply refined capacity for attunement, and it means so much to me to see baby Anaiya receiving the deep attention and awareness of her needs and capacities that I actually have so rarely seen to this extent, if ever. You can check out her Facebook posts which describe really unique ways of motherhood and childcare that she has been dedicated to.
For those of us who have studied attachment theory or been working on healing our own attachment woundings in our own lives, watching this little one be raised in the most connected, loving, attentive relationship you can imagine brings up so much gratitude in me - and also a sadness for how rare this is. It’s beautiful. They are very connected, exactly as healthy attachment dynamics in this phase of an infant’s life requires. Mandy is so passionate about this and I love how dedicated she has been. You can really see the impact, in how healthy baby Anaiyana feels.
LOGISTICS:
Mandalena is a single mom, and a healer!
We’re getting to the point where Mandy is running out of the funds that she had saved to be able to stay home with baby without going out to work, but there isn’t much support (no papa to help with time or money, no "maternity leave”, and not much biological family support) that would help her stay with baby for longer without separating from her to work.
I could say a lot about what capitalism and globalization have led to regarding a breaking up of community and the indigenous form of tribe, though I know everyone reading this already feels that. It has been amazing to see the new modern form of community around Mandy in this context, with so many visits and donations of food and baby gear in the first few weeks.
And, today of course in the US we still find ourselves with the typical “survival unit” as the nuclear family model - two parents and kid(s) in a house (with no extended family), with the adult(s) going out to work (usually as employees at companies) to provide the family financial security - sure, this has provided a lot of great things, and also has a lot of holes. Even for a 2 parent household with steady employment this model is so tough, as many here can attest to! And, how many people actually fit into this “ideal” American narrative, anyway?
In Mandy’s situation, there are two differences. First, there’s no papa present caring for the baby, or helping bring in income - no child support $. No one to switch off with regarding childcare and going out to work. And, as a single parent Mandy is Anaiya’s only secure attachment bond - while loved ones come and go, Mandy is the only one who's providing consistent presence to baby Anaiya.
The second difference, which I’d like to make a cultural critique about, is that Mandy is a healer. She doesn’t work for Google or any other corporation with maternity leave. Like so many in our community, Mandy gets the freedom to do what she really loves and is needed for in this world, and what really serves and heals other people and this planet. She is free from the soul-sucking jobs so many of us have either begrudgingly stuck with for financial security, or left as well, to do what we’re really meant to do with our gifts and passions, but sometimes with the result of hand-to-mouth bank accounts, and without the social security nets that corporate culture provides. So here’s our challenge regarding capitalism: How can we move towards careers of independence and service, while still having financial security during times like motherhood?
How can we co-create the missing piece of support until our social structures build them?
HENCE MY IDEA
What if we came together to create paid maternity leave for Mandy, the way that a company would, if she had a traditional career?
Baby Anaiya is two months old and Mandy has X# of months till she needs to get back to work to bring in further income. While I bet she will find someone(s) amazing for childcare - and is definitely looking for volunteers - it’s still not the same for baby Anaiya as being with her mom. So, I’m trying to delay the inevitable a little bit. So that baby Anaiya gets as much undivided attention as she can, during the months of development that matter the most in an infant’s attachment bonding. The time they get together in the first two years of life, as many of you know, will be the crucial foundation for Anaiya for the rest of her life. Holy shit.
So, how do we make our own maternity leave fund?
We could consider a number of months we care about baby getting full mama time, and all pitch in for that.
BRIEF SEGUE ABOUT MATERNITY LEAVE POLICIES
So, I scoured the internet for maternity leave statistics. As many of you know, the US is the WORST industrialized country in the world regarding maternity leave, so I’m not going to use it as our standard. So, I looked to more progressive country policies to get some info…I was happy to see that 33 countries around the world have maternity leave of 1 year or more! YAY FOR BABIES!! Did you know in Finland you get paid maternity leave by the government regardless of being employed or unemployed? Thank God. Did you know in Norway you can get 80% pay maternity leave for almost 2 years! YAY!!!! Should we all move to Europe? Other cool stats here: https://www.businessinsider.com/countries-with-best-parental-leave-2016-8#serbia-6
OUR MATERNITY LEAVE FUND
So, what’s our number? It feels arbitrary based on country policies, since there’s such a huge range. Considering attachment theory, I wish EVERY baby had consistent parental care for the first 2 years, though I don’t expect everyone to agree with me, nor do I expect that to happen (though you never know!). A huge plus about Mandy’s job is that she can ramp up her work hours gradually, so it’s not all or nothing - she can space out her time and money.
So this is what Mandy says:
"My hope is to raise enough money for the next 3-4 months so I can slowly transition back into seeing clients. This would look like $12,000 total to cover expenses such as home and office rent, groceries, insurance, and expenses for Anaiya such as diapers."
PLEASE DONATE!
If you feel called, any amount is very appreciated! You can also send $ via Paypal if you want to get around the crowdfunding fee on this website, since PayPal (friends and family setting) has no transaction fee. You can find her there at [email redacted].
THANK YOU SO SO SO MUCH!
OTHER WAYS TO HELP
There are so many ways to help Mandy, even if you are also tight on cash, or wish to contribute in multiple ways. One way that Mandy is going to really need help is volunteer childcare with people who care about Anaiya and building connection with her, since she doesn't have anyone else she's living with to be able to leave baby Anaiyana with a friend or family member when she goes out or needs to work.
CAN WE MAKE THIS A LARGER MOVEMENT?
Mandy’s story is unique and also not unique! I hope this idea can spread. What if crowdfunding campaigns for maternity leave funds became the cultural norm, just like baby showers are, so that every baby could have their mom during the crucial time when they need her? I hope this becomes a thing, for everyone!!! How can we do this as a test run and spread the word so others can do the same?
Hey everyone! This is Olivia Frazao (aka Glow). I’m feeling called to bring the community together in support of Mandy and baby Anaiya…
TLDR SUMMARY:
This is an invitation to collect donations to a Maternity Leave fund for Mandy and baby Anaiyana! As Mandy is a single mom without child support from the father, and a healer without paid maternity leave from an employer, my idea was to create a community-funded Maternity Leave for her and baby, so that they can have more consistent time together! I hope this idea can catch on as a new addition for how community comes together to care for babies, similar to how baby showers are a tradition.
HERE ARE ALL THE DETAILS:
HOW THEY’VE BEEN
I’ve traveled to Boulder twice since baby Anaiyana was born to visit Mandy and baby and have seen the absolutely gorgeous attachment bond between them… It’s way above the norm... Mandy has a deeply refined capacity for attunement, and it means so much to me to see baby Anaiya receiving the deep attention and awareness of her needs and capacities that I actually have so rarely seen to this extent, if ever. You can check out her Facebook posts which describe really unique ways of motherhood and childcare that she has been dedicated to.
For those of us who have studied attachment theory or been working on healing our own attachment woundings in our own lives, watching this little one be raised in the most connected, loving, attentive relationship you can imagine brings up so much gratitude in me - and also a sadness for how rare this is. It’s beautiful. They are very connected, exactly as healthy attachment dynamics in this phase of an infant’s life requires. Mandy is so passionate about this and I love how dedicated she has been. You can really see the impact, in how healthy baby Anaiyana feels.
LOGISTICS:
Mandalena is a single mom, and a healer!
We’re getting to the point where Mandy is running out of the funds that she had saved to be able to stay home with baby without going out to work, but there isn’t much support (no papa to help with time or money, no "maternity leave”, and not much biological family support) that would help her stay with baby for longer without separating from her to work.
I could say a lot about what capitalism and globalization have led to regarding a breaking up of community and the indigenous form of tribe, though I know everyone reading this already feels that. It has been amazing to see the new modern form of community around Mandy in this context, with so many visits and donations of food and baby gear in the first few weeks.
And, today of course in the US we still find ourselves with the typical “survival unit” as the nuclear family model - two parents and kid(s) in a house (with no extended family), with the adult(s) going out to work (usually as employees at companies) to provide the family financial security - sure, this has provided a lot of great things, and also has a lot of holes. Even for a 2 parent household with steady employment this model is so tough, as many here can attest to! And, how many people actually fit into this “ideal” American narrative, anyway?
In Mandy’s situation, there are two differences. First, there’s no papa present caring for the baby, or helping bring in income - no child support $. No one to switch off with regarding childcare and going out to work. And, as a single parent Mandy is Anaiya’s only secure attachment bond - while loved ones come and go, Mandy is the only one who's providing consistent presence to baby Anaiya.
The second difference, which I’d like to make a cultural critique about, is that Mandy is a healer. She doesn’t work for Google or any other corporation with maternity leave. Like so many in our community, Mandy gets the freedom to do what she really loves and is needed for in this world, and what really serves and heals other people and this planet. She is free from the soul-sucking jobs so many of us have either begrudgingly stuck with for financial security, or left as well, to do what we’re really meant to do with our gifts and passions, but sometimes with the result of hand-to-mouth bank accounts, and without the social security nets that corporate culture provides. So here’s our challenge regarding capitalism: How can we move towards careers of independence and service, while still having financial security during times like motherhood?
How can we co-create the missing piece of support until our social structures build them?
HENCE MY IDEA
What if we came together to create paid maternity leave for Mandy, the way that a company would, if she had a traditional career?
Baby Anaiya is two months old and Mandy has X# of months till she needs to get back to work to bring in further income. While I bet she will find someone(s) amazing for childcare - and is definitely looking for volunteers - it’s still not the same for baby Anaiya as being with her mom. So, I’m trying to delay the inevitable a little bit. So that baby Anaiya gets as much undivided attention as she can, during the months of development that matter the most in an infant’s attachment bonding. The time they get together in the first two years of life, as many of you know, will be the crucial foundation for Anaiya for the rest of her life. Holy shit.
So, how do we make our own maternity leave fund?
We could consider a number of months we care about baby getting full mama time, and all pitch in for that.
BRIEF SEGUE ABOUT MATERNITY LEAVE POLICIES
So, I scoured the internet for maternity leave statistics. As many of you know, the US is the WORST industrialized country in the world regarding maternity leave, so I’m not going to use it as our standard. So, I looked to more progressive country policies to get some info…I was happy to see that 33 countries around the world have maternity leave of 1 year or more! YAY FOR BABIES!! Did you know in Finland you get paid maternity leave by the government regardless of being employed or unemployed? Thank God. Did you know in Norway you can get 80% pay maternity leave for almost 2 years! YAY!!!! Should we all move to Europe? Other cool stats here: https://www.businessinsider.com/countries-with-best-parental-leave-2016-8#serbia-6
OUR MATERNITY LEAVE FUND
So, what’s our number? It feels arbitrary based on country policies, since there’s such a huge range. Considering attachment theory, I wish EVERY baby had consistent parental care for the first 2 years, though I don’t expect everyone to agree with me, nor do I expect that to happen (though you never know!). A huge plus about Mandy’s job is that she can ramp up her work hours gradually, so it’s not all or nothing - she can space out her time and money.
So this is what Mandy says:
"My hope is to raise enough money for the next 3-4 months so I can slowly transition back into seeing clients. This would look like $12,000 total to cover expenses such as home and office rent, groceries, insurance, and expenses for Anaiya such as diapers."
PLEASE DONATE!
If you feel called, any amount is very appreciated! You can also send $ via Paypal if you want to get around the crowdfunding fee on this website, since PayPal (friends and family setting) has no transaction fee. You can find her there at [email redacted].
THANK YOU SO SO SO MUCH!
OTHER WAYS TO HELP
There are so many ways to help Mandy, even if you are also tight on cash, or wish to contribute in multiple ways. One way that Mandy is going to really need help is volunteer childcare with people who care about Anaiya and building connection with her, since she doesn't have anyone else she's living with to be able to leave baby Anaiyana with a friend or family member when she goes out or needs to work.
CAN WE MAKE THIS A LARGER MOVEMENT?
Mandy’s story is unique and also not unique! I hope this idea can spread. What if crowdfunding campaigns for maternity leave funds became the cultural norm, just like baby showers are, so that every baby could have their mom during the crucial time when they need her? I hope this becomes a thing, for everyone!!! How can we do this as a test run and spread the word so others can do the same?
Organizer and beneficiary
Olivia Frazao
Organizer
Boulder, CO
Mandalena Luz Mandy Greenlee
Beneficiary