Oz Papados has a joke that she likes to tell people.
“I retired at 34,” says the 49-year-old, chuckling over the phone.
The graduate of George Washington University Law School did not actually retire that young. She had to work for a small management and recruiting firm, Riselli & Pressler, to pay off her student loans. But that was her only intention.
Papados only went to law school to please her attorney parents. As a child growing up in Romania, she was told that it would be a great path. But shortly after she arrived in the United States to attend GW, she met her husband, Photis Papados, and decided to stay.
“I decided that home is where my family is,” Papados says.
In 2006, the lawyer paid off her loans and left her firm. A string of unsatisfactory nannies and au pairs convinced her that she needed to stay home with her children— a son, Alex, and daughter, Sophia, both younger than 10 at that point.
Today, Alex Papados is married and living in the same town as his parents: Bethesda. Sophia Papados is a student at the University of Maryland. But their mother’s job is not done. Her third child, Joseph, is 11. He has autism.
Though her family comes first, with only one child still in the house, Oz Papados has a little more time in her day.
The third-time parent is also “very involved” in her synagogue: Adas Israel Congregation in Washington, D.C. She likes to participate in social action initiatives and help take care of the elderly and sick.
She shares her thoughts on parenting, community involvement and how she got to where she is now.
When you left your legal career, how did you feel?
Wonderful. I was flirting with the idea of going back to school and re-shifting my career.
But it was not really the right time. Somebody had to be with the kids at home. So, unfortunately, I was not able to go back to school and do what I wanted to do. [But] I felt lucky. I got to know my children.
You have more time now. Why do you like to prioritize synagogue activities?
It is extremely fulfilling to see that you can help others with little things. We helped kids from Ukraine. They were ecstatic because we got them soccer balls and goggles for the pool. They were refugees sponsored by five families in Chevy Chase, [Maryland], who reached out to the Adas social action team. It helps to be able to do this a lot online and a lot on the phone.
Parenting any child is a challenge. What kinds of specific challenges does autism present?
At the personal level, it was very challenging at the beginning. We didn’t see it coming. We were there to get a diagnosis for speech therapy at Georgetown [University]. We had to in 48 hours regroup and rethink life.
What was hard was sharing the diagnosis. We waited to be a little bit stronger ourselves before sharing with our immediate family and circle of friends.
To this day, one of the bigger challenges is [that] unfortunately society is not accepting him the way he wonderfully is. Once you share the diagnosis, no private school wants you anymore. Even if we offer the shadow (instructor). No private school wanted him after first grade.
How do you feel about where you are in your life?
I feel very comfortable. I feel like I’m in a good place. I feel like I have a lot of flexibility. You can choose things you know you can do. I choose things that will have minimal impact on my family life.
If I deliver food to someone who’s sick, [Joseph] loves to do that. It struck a nerve with my child that doesn’t quite understand that you have to be kind. That’s the benefit. Picking commitments that I know I can fulfill and that also fit our lifestyle at this time.
Family Favorites
Meal: Sushi
Dessert: Double Dobos
Vacation Spot: The beach
Local Place: Old Ebbitt Grill
Family Activity: Chatting
