Aug 28, 2022
A moment of MOTHERHOOD is lined by Dreams
A SLM conversation with Bonnie Silvestri
Bonnie taught women in law classes that discussed legal issues around motherhood and families including topics like pregnancy and families in the workplace. When she became pregnant herself, these were no longer abstract issues in case books. They were personal. She realized that the whole "work life balance thing” was not so easily managed.
She began to look at family leave policies around the world – in particular, she looked at countries that provided paid family leave like England versus unpaid family leave in the United States. She questioned – was paid family leave as good as she imagined. She and her husband had an idea on how to answer this question.
They moved to England for 6 months where they filmed their documentary Funnel of Dreams, which is described on its website as:
"A Florida family goes on a quest to understand the impact of the United Kingdom’s policies for families, including paid parental leave, childcare services, and the children’s right to play. Journey with them to a small town in Wales as they navigate parenting their imaginative young daughter in a new culture."
To learn more about Funnel of Dreams, https://anythingarts.com/funnelofdreams
In this SLM conversation with Bonnie, we discuss:
- Her journey into motherhood and how this inspired her to take a closer look at family leave policies around the world
- Funnel of Dreams – the idea behind it, the naming of it, what it taught them about family leave policies and their effect on mothers, fathers, children, and the community
- Paid family leave and unpaid family leave
- Why discussing family leave is important, even more so after the recent U.S. Supreme Court Dobbs decision and the changing abortion laws in many states
- Having an idea, following through with it, and seeing it realized
From my conversation with Bonnie, I see how:
a moment of MOTHERHOOD is lined by DREAMS.
Thank you for listening to Silver Lining Moments.
By Bonnie sharing, and by you listening, together we are:
expanding love and light,
one person at a time,
one story at a time,
one Silver Lining Moment at a time.
