The Parenting Panel with Maxine Linehan
1. How many children do you have? And what are their ages?
I have 2 kids, Rebecca (10) and Gabriel (8).
2. Did you have fears or concerns about how becoming a parent would interfere with your artistic endeavors?
I became pregnant BOTH times while I was in a production. First while I was on Lincoln Center’s 1st National Tour of South Pacific and then with my son when I was in an off-Broadway solo play about the life of Charlotte Brontë. In the latter I was able to stay in the role until I was almost 7 months pregnant, we could conceal my bump under the poufy Victorian costume. South Pacific was a little tricker as there was no way to explain how a nurse got knocked up! But by the time I had my second child I knew I didn’t want to be in a show 6 nights a week or on tour for a year at a time. I wasn’t fearful but I knew I had to pivot and out of that my concert career was born and I am deeply grateful for the ability to manage my career with my all-important role as a mother.
3. In what ways has parenthood helped your creativity, if any?
I joke with my husband all the time, I was never a crier until I became a Mom, now I cry at everything, motherhood opened up the water works for me. And that has really helped me in my connection to the music I record and perform. There’s a new, profound depth to my feelings since a became a mother, a new sense of what’s important. When you can connect to that when you sing it is incredibly powerful!
4. How do you juggle your family and your career? Who’s your support system?
I couldn’t have the career I have without my amazing husband who is my partner in everything. He is a music producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He introduced me to the recording arts and showed me a whole world beyond live performance. We work together on all my recording projects in our studio in Vermont. And without him I just couldn’t travel to venues for live concerts. I travel (in a non-pandemic world) constantly and it’s only because I have total piece of mind that my kids are safe and happy with him.
5. Has the pandemic taken away or added to your creative flow? Are you taking good care of yourself these days?
Every single concert date was cancelled from March 2020 and it is still unlikely that the major performing arts centers and symphony halls will open for many more months. It’s been devastating. But it made me adapt very quickly and completely shifted my focus to a new recording project. I recorded my first holiday album which we started working on in June and release in late November! We also released 2 singles from the album and will release a 3 rd on February 12th! With 2021 looking very challenging for live concerts I am also now working on a solo autobiographical play! I try to take care of myself, if I don’t take care of me then I can’t take care of my children. It was a tough year to stay focused and healthy but for me I had to find a way. Sleep and exercise are key to my physical and mental health. I have a peloton bike which was amazing during shut downs and I try to get 8+ hours of sleep a night.
6. What’s one thing you wish someone had told you before you became a parent? Any advice for others?
I was told something SO important by my mother and that’s you can’t possibly fathom the love you have for your child until it happens. I wasn’t a girl who was obsessed with having a family, in fact, until I met my husband I was indifferent. When my daughter was born I felt like was awakened to a new me. I had no idea my heart had that capacity to love someone so completely, so unconditionally. My children are my universe and if you told me that 12 year ago I wouldn’t have believed it. So, my advice is, you never know what can happen and who you can become!
7. How have you been managing parenting during the pandemic? What has been the hardest part and what is the silver lining?
I think the hardest part is feeling stuck. My work is very important to me and this is the first time in my life where my income was completely stripped away. Concerts are my main source of income and the loss of that was really hard for me. I also love to travel to different places for my performances and meet new people and make new fans, we do what we can virtually but as a live performer that connection can’t be replaced online. I also realized that teaching your kids every day is INCREDIBLY hard! But the silver lining was definitely the uninterrupted time alone with my family. We all have such busy lives and some many plates to spin, the lock down slowed us all down and I have totally reassessed how I spend my down time and quality family time.
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