A Meteorologist Was Interrupted By Her Baby On Live TV, And People Applauded Her Response
Let's face it: working from home maybe have allowed us to work in our pajamas, but it hasn't always been easy. For one mom in particular, it proved to be extra challenging when her little man finally learned how to walk on his own. The mom, who is also a meteorologist for ABC7, had a little surprise visit during her time on air.
The Reality Of Working From Home
Since the pandemic hit, we had to reimagine our world and do everything from within the walls of our homes.
For some of us, this meant still working our day job, but all through a screen. This was no different for those who worked in media and broadcasting.
Broadcasters Work From Home Too
While working from home was a challenge in itself, not every industry could allow people to work in the pajamas.
While some could still work from bed in their pj's, others had to still give us our daily weather reports on live television—still from inside their homes.
Working From Home With A Toddler On Live National TV
Now add on another challenge. To make matters almost impossible, some people are working from home on live television with a toddler roaming around the house. Babies have a mind of their own.
This was the case for ABC7's Leslie Lopez. As she was attempting to report the forecast, her toddler popped up and walked right up to her green screen, paying no mind to the camera.
Her Baby Was Ready For His Close-Up
At first, Lopez tried to act like nothing was happening and proceeded with her forecast, attempting to be professional. The toddler wanted his mom, and he started to climb up her leg and get close to her.
At that point, Lopez couldn't hold in her laughter any longer.
She Caved And Welcome Her Co-Star
Rather than get upset with the kid or ask him to leave, Lopez simply picked him up and proceeded with the forecast, all while smiling.
Her baby simply sat in her arms as her co-star. Not once did Lopez interrupt her report. She only acknowledged the baby at the very end, laughingly saying, "He walks now, guys. I've lost all control."
Everyone Seemed To Love Baby Nolan
Lopez's experience was too relatable for anyone to blame her for including her child in her forecast. Instead, they laughed with her, awwed at her adorable child, and applauded the way that she handled the whole thing.
There's no easy or right way to balance working from home.
People Saw This Moment As A Reflection Of Her Parenting
People were impressed with Lopez's ability to stay calm under pressure, and some were even encouraging the network to give her a raise.
They saw her ability to navigate her two worlds colliding with such grace as a testimony to her parenting skills and her ability as a woman.
It Made Working Moms Feel Validated
While not all moms work on live TV, the experience is still all too familiar. Some moms still felt embarrassed when their kids would shout, cry, and walk in on important meetings.
Some parents feared this would make them look unprofessional or incapable of still doing their jobs. Seeing experiences like Lopez's normalizes the situation and shows how hard it is to be a working parent.
Parents Have Reported That It's Difficult Getting Work Done With Children
Pew Research Center conducted a study to examine the impact of working from home. They found that at least half of parents who are teleworking were having a harder time getting their work done without interruptions.
This feeling was equally shared by both mothers and fathers.
There Is A Heavy Reliance On Video Calls
People working from home rely on video calls to keep in touch with coworkers and get as close as possible to working in an office setting together.
The same study found that these video services were used by 81% of employed adults who are working from home. Not everyone has the option to show up off-camera.