Serena Williams has taken her daughter, Alexis Olympia, everywhere these past 319 days. The celebrity mom took to Twitter to express gratitude in having a lifestyle that allows her to spend every moment with her little one.
“319 days since I gave birth to this amazing baby @OlympiaOhanian,” Serena tweeted on Wednesday. “I’ve spent 319 of those days with her,” the tennis champion added. “I’m so fortunate.”
Serena Williams had Alexis Olympia by her side during the Wimbledon competition, but the celebrity mom still missed the milestone of her daughter taking her first strides towards walking. “She took her first steps… I was training and missed it,” Williams admitted a few weeks ago. “I cried,” the celebrity mom told her fans.
319 days since I gave birth to this amazing baby @OlympiaOhanian I’ve spent 319 of those days with her. I’m so fortunate. pic.twitter.com/IzMryymoSl
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) July 18, 2018
Missing important milestones such as baby’s first steps are one of many reasons why both Serena Williams and her husband, Alexis Ohanian, are advocates for paid parental leave in corporate America. Alexis recently addressed the inequalities of the perk in an op-ed piece for The Hill.
The #MTPTproject is the only organisation of its kind offering #coaching for teachers during & after #parentalleave but we are miles behind the private sector where this is commonplace! Lots to learn from @talkingtalent pic.twitter.com/iapftRRSkI
— The MTPT Project (@mtptproject) July 18, 2018
“Ninety-four percent of low wage working people don’t have a single day of paid family leave,” he wrote. “The U.S. stands alone among industrialized nations in not requiring maternity leave for new moms. As a result, 1 in 4 mothers return to work within two weeks of giving birth. That’s not good for our country, our kids, or our health.”
When men take a full parental leave, they are not just sharing in the miracle of parenthood (and diapers) but they are also validating the importance of work-life blend for ALL OF US! #parentalleave #momsourcenetwork #worklifeblend https://t.co/8EpNk8GrU9
— MomSource Network (@Mom_Source) July 18, 2018
The good news is that Serena has the option of spending every waking moment with her daughter. The better news is that both she and Alexis are fighting to change the workforce so that other moms and dads have more options as well. Learn more about paid parental leave and how the United States falls short compared to other developed nations here.
