Cara Sapida is a smiling breath of fresh air to anyone who knows her.
When you see on her on television, her tone and expressions adequately reflect her assignment – which is usually something difficult or tragic that has happened in our region.
She is a true professional who has found a way to better balance work and home life.
Cara and her daughter, Lilah.
Her son, Greyson, is 3 and her daughter, Lilah, is 1. Cara doesn’t get much sleep (what parent does…) and yet still looks refreshed when she pops up on my TV.
Cara and her son, Greyson.
When her career and mom life weren’t meshing the way she hoped, she found a way to better balance both. Cara realized that stepping back from a full-time position would give her more time with her kids, while still allowing her to be a working mom.
Going part-time is something many women I’ve met only talk about but are too afraid to ask.
As any reporter knows, you should always ASK…you just might be surprised where the answer takes you.
You can catch Cara on WPXI’s 5:00 and/or 6:00 p.m. news Monday-Wednesday.
Oh, the joys of trying to get 2 kids to look at the camera 😉
INTERVIEW WITH CARA SAPIDA
Q: “TV news schedules often involve long days, so how do you make your schedule work for your family?”
A: “It wasn’t easy in the beginning. Between the long days and heartache from missing my son, I decided to go part-time. It was the best decision I’ve ever made because I can be a dedicated, focused reporter while I’m working knowing I have four days home with the children.”
Q: “When you returned to work after having your children, did anything surprise you?”
A: “It was exponentially harder than I imagined. One of the hardest parts was pumping. As a reporter, I’m in the field 99.9% of the time. I had to find time to pump, often in a moving vehicle. Also, we present the news to you during what’s typically dinner time. So I would get home after the baby was fed, bathed and in bed and that was hard for me! But once I found a good routine that worked for mom and baby, things became a lot better. Sometimes that means my husband keeps the baby awake until I walk in the door and then I do the bed time routine immediately. Both of my babies learned to help me wipe my tv lipstick off the second I walk in the door!”
Q: “What have you learned about yourself as a you juggle a career and family?”
A: “I learned how to become better at juggling! I try to put every single thing in my Google calendar. I don’t want to be the mom who missed pajama day at daycare because news breaks and I have to rush out the door in the morning with one eye of mascara on my face and mismatched shoes.”
Q: “What advice would you give to women preparing to go back to work after maternity leave?”
A: “Honestly, it gets easier. The first day is heart wrenching. Every single day it gets easier. And reuniting with your baby at the end of the day is the greatest feeling. Also, if you’re pumping, invest in a good pumping bag. I found one that fit my huge Spectra pump, ice packs, bottle bag, wipes, work laptop, makeup bag, etc. It’s much easier than carrying three bags, a car seat, a baby, a purse, a coffee! You won’t regret the purchase.”
Q: “How has motherhood changed you as a journalist?”
A: “Every time I cover a child abuse story, I’m affected for days, even weeks. The details are harder to erase from my brain. I hold my babies tighter at the end of the day. I dream of adopting every child that’s been harmed.”
Q: “Just for sh*ts and giggles…what would people would be surprised to know about you?”
A: “I am such a homebody. People sometimes say their weekends changed so much since they’ve had kids. I love having babies as an easy excuse to stay in with sweatpants and wine! Even if we have a date night, I’m excited to be in bed by 10.”
