Nancy Travis: She's not a stay-at-home mom, but she plays one on TV

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by Lauren Young

Nancy Travis was having “a classic mommy morning” when I spoke to her by telephone early one morning a few weeks ago. The co-star of The Bill Engvall Show, which started its second season on TBS on June 12, was trying to figure out who would watch Ben, her 10-year-old son, while she went to work. “I’m sitting here waiting for the carpool mom to pick up my younger son, Jeremy, who is six,” said Travis, who seemed unfazed by the chaos.

A game plan was already emerging—her housekeeper would be coming in that morning, so she could keep an eye on the boy for a few hours. But things were destined to get more complicated in the afternoon after her younger son finished school and needed to go to baseball practice, which required the afternoon sitter to shuttle both kids to the field. “This is everyday craziness,” said Travis, 46, with a sigh. “It’s never easy.”

Her television persona, a cheekier version of June Cleaver, doesn’t have to deal with the same juggle.

Q & A: Amy Richards, author of 'Opting In: Having a Child Without Losing Yourself'

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In her new book Opting In: Having a Child Without Losing Yourself, Amy Richards explores the tricky landscape of motherhood in the 21st Century. Richards, age 38, who is the mother of two young boys, is a well-known feminist and a leader in the Third Wave movement. She is also is the cofounder of Soapbox, a progressive speakers bureau. BusinessWeek editor and Mommy Track'd columnist, Lauren Young, recently caught up with Richards to talk about her new book, focusing on the issues affecting working parents. Here are edited excerpts of our conversation:

Q. The first chapter of your book is titled: “To Work or Not to Work Is Not the Question.” So why does the all-or-nothing approach get so much ink?

A. There are two reasons why. It’s an upper-middle class dilemma. As a society we are more focused on that demographic. We are most invested in that community—what are they doing—and base our choices on what they’ve made acceptable or not. It also masks a much deeper question: Do we want to work? The majority of us not only need to work financially. Most of us want something beyond the monotony of our homes and the joy of our children.

Lauren Young on Shine

Nancy Travis: She's not a stay-at-home mom, but she plays one on TV

Q & A: Amy Richards, author of 'Opting In: Having a Child Without Losing Yourself'