PARSIPPANY, New Jersey—The holidays are a time to reflect and recognize those we’re most thankful for; in response, La Quinta by Wyndham is teaming up with actress and podcast host Katie Lowes to celebrate people who—despite the challenges of the pandemic—keep families on track: moms.
Whether it’s navigating the world of virtual learning or juggling the growing challenge of the office colliding with home, over the last 20-months, moms’ roles have become bigger and more demanding than ever before. La Quinta by Wyndham is launching “Thankful for Mom,” a series of virtual meetups aimed at connecting moms coast-to-coast while helping them overcome the stress and challenges of work, home, and holiday travel.
“Moms are among the many unsung heroes of the pandemic—balancing work, life, school, parenting, and of course, travel,” said Carolina Matias-Perez, senior director, brand marketing, La Quinta by Wyndham. “Data routinely shows that in most families, mom, in addition to everything else she does, has to play travel planner too. Not surprisingly, it can be stressful. Thankful for Mom is about extending moms a lifeline while letting them know they’re not in it alone.”
A recent study conducted earlier this month by La Quinta found that the brunt of vacation planning continues to fall on moms (more than 60 percent), adding to their already busy schedules. Eighty-two percent of moms say planning a family getaway is more stressful than it used to be, indicating some of their top stress drivers as packing for the whole family, planning activities, and scheduling pet care. Further, 78 percent of moms admit they’re more tired after a family vacation than before they left, suggesting that the family vacation isn’t really a vacation at all. Thankful for Mom aims to lessen and help alleviate these trends.
La Quinta by Wyndham’s Thankful for Mom series kicks off on Wednesday, November 3, 2021, and runs weekly through November 17, 2021, wrapping up just ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. Free-to-join, each of the three, online, interactive evening events will run around 90-minutes and feature a range of parenting, travel, and lifestyle experts sharing how-to insights, hands-on tips, and inspirational stories.
Among the speakers being featured in the series’ first event on November 3 is actress and podcast host Katie Lowes. Best known for her role as Quinn Perkins in the ABC political drama series “Scandal,” Katie currently hosts the podcast “Katie’s Crib,” where she welcomes guests for honest conversations about parenthood while sharing her own experiences as a working mom.
“Moms are the real warriors at confronting life’s challenges headfirst, which is why I am thrilled to team up with La Quinta in bringing moms together for conversations around topics that matter most to them,” said Lowes. “As a mom, I know firsthand the job is like running a never-ending marathon that shifted to a non-stop roller coaster during the pandemic. This year, more than most, every mom should be thanked—and most importantly, celebrated.”
Additional speakers being featured throughout the meetups include blogger Sarah Wagner, mom and host of Disney Family Sundays Amber Kemp-Gerstel, and entrepreneur Karla Lu, among others. Meetups will center on common challenges faced both by working and stay-at-home moms, including, traveling with the family, itinerary planning, packing tips, business travel, entertaining the kids, self-care, and more. Each online event will also feature a fun activity—such as a mixology session—plus the chance for participants to win prizes.
