Look, this might be a controversial take — but I’m at that age where I genuinely don’t care. I think it’s healthy to let our kids see us work. And I think it’s equally healthy for us to stop feeling guilty about it.

My boys are 16 and 14. I can’t even believe it. Technically I have a kid who is driving age — although he has chosen to pause that effort, which is totally fine by me. We are in no rush. (Although it would be nice to have someone to pick up the slack on the driving. It’s a lot of calm, peaceful energy around here not worrying about a 16-year-old boy in a car. But anyway.)

The point is — their entire lives, both of them, I have been running Jeneration PR. I’ve been running my business full time. I’ve had my business for 21 years, and for the last 14 or so of those years, I’ve also been running Jeneration Academy — coaching, supporting women all over the world to achieve their dreams and build businesses that support the kind of life they want to have.

And the crazy thing? My office doesn’t even have a door on it. My kids have always been able to wander in. They’ve seen me on calls. They’ve seen me get really excited about a win. I actually have a bell on my desk — no joke — and whenever something really positive happens in the business, whether that’s landing a new client, getting a press win, or having someone enroll in one of my programs (which is honestly the most exciting thing for me because I get to have the most immediate, tangible impact), I ring that bell. The kids can hear it, and they’ll go, “Yay, mommy!”

That’s been really awesome. And they also get to see me handle a hard day.

I decided a long time ago that that’s not something to feel guilty about. I actually think it’s a gift I’m giving them. And I want to walk you through my thinking on this so that you can give yourself permission to love your work — and stop apologizing for it.

What Your Kids Are Actually Learning When They Watch You Work

I coach hundreds of women directly in my programs, and so many of them are moms who feel terrible when their kids “catch” them working — like they’re doing something wrong. But what if watching a parent build something they love is actually one of the most powerful, empowering things a child can witness?

The alternative — hiding our work, apologizing for it, treating it like an inconvenience — that actually teaches our kids that work is something to resent. And that is not the message I want to send.

Here’s what I want my kids to see:

• That women can be ambitious and nurturing at the same time. I am raising sons who are going to be in this world as boyfriends, as men, as husbands, as fathers. I want them to see a strong woman build something she’s passionate about, work through challenges, contribute to the family, and have goals and dreams.
• That my husband supports me — and I support him. We are each other’s greatest cheerleaders. We trust each other to run our businesses as we see fit, we share the challenges of the day, and we champion each other completely. I want my boys to see that.
• That you build things through effort, not luck. I mean, maybe there’s a little luck — but really, luck comes from putting in effort. I want them to see that.
• That tough days happen — and we survive them. We can lose a client. It’s not the end of the world. We mourn the loss, and then we get right back up and go back to our proven strategies.
• That money comes from creating value. Not just punching a clock, not just showing up somewhere and putting in your time — but doing work that’s demanding of your energy and effort.

You Are More Than a Mom — And Your Kids Should Know That

I want my kids to understand that their mom has a full, rich identity beyond being their mom. I think that’s really healthy.

We can have real, age-appropriate conversations with our kids about work so they can actually understand what it is we do. When they’re little, you can say, “Mommy helps companies share their stories with the world.” As they get older, you share the wins: “I helped my client get on TV today.” You let them see your excitement. Your passion. You let them see work as something that is gratifying and fulfilling and gives you a sense of purpose.

And yes, I also share the challenges — even when they’re raw and real. I’ll say something like, “I had a really hard day today. I was kind of sad about it, but I figured it out. I came up with a solution and I feel really good about how I worked through it.”

That models resilience. And your kids — even when we’re not sure if they’re getting it — they’re getting it. They’re seeing it through your actions. Through your words.

I also love finding small ways to include them. Sometimes I’ll show one of my boys a Canva proposal I’m working on and ask what they think. Do they totally understand what the proposal means? Probably not. But if they have a thought about the design, I take it into consideration. I show them. “Do you mean like this?” Now they’re invested. They feel like they’re contributing. They feel seen and heard. And that is genuinely good for a kid’s confidence and self-esteem.

A Note to Moms Who Are Also Managing the Household

I want to be really clear here: this conversation is for women who are working in addition to being moms. And I also want to say — stay-at-home moms have the hardest job, I think. Ever. Personally, I need both sides of it just for me. But I never want to discount or minimize the incredible, incredibly hard work of moms who are full-time in the home. That work just happens to be unpaid, which is unfortunate because it is deeply valuable. So many of us are doing double duty. This is for all of us.

This Isn’t Just About Work — It’s Also About Showing Them How to Rest

Here’s the other side of it: I think it’s great for kids to see me work, and I also think they need to see me stop working.

I want to model for them that work has a beginning and an end. I want to show them that rest matters — that play matters, that taking care of your health, your mental health, your physical energy — all of it is valued just as much as achievement. Every morning I take time to walk the dog. They know that.

I don’t want my kids to think we are only achievement-driven. I want to send the message that I love my work AND I love being here with you. Both are true, always.

Now More Than Ever, Our Sons Need to See This

I have to say this part out loud: now more than ever, with the content that is circulating on the internet — especially content targeted at young boys — it is critical for my sons to see what a strong, ambitious woman looks like. I see some of the content that reaches them at their ages, and it genuinely concerns me. There’s a deeply troubling trend toward messages about male domination and misogyny, and I am highly aware and tuned in to it. My spidey senses are on high alert.

The best counter to that? Letting them see, every single day, that mom is ambitious and that mom is also very present for them — and that those two things are not mutually exclusive. Women build things. We build things that matter.

When my husband left his corporate job about 11 years ago to pursue his own business, I was the one who supported our family while he built his dream. Because he had seen me do it for a decade. And I told him, “It’s your time now.” The kids were too young to fully understand it at the time, but I make sure they know that story now. I make sure they understand that we support each other equally, that both of our businesses matter, and that women build things that are worth building.

The One Non-Negotiable: Be Fully Present When Work Is Done

Here’s my one big caveat: when it is time to connect with your kids, you are fully present. Phone down. Not in your eyesight. Not in your hand.

You’re looking them in the eyes. You’re showing real enthusiasm for what they’re sharing. You’re asking follow-up questions. You’re present in a way that they feel — because that’s the kind of integration that is healthy. It says, “Yes, I work — and that’s okay — and when I’m with you, I’m actually with you.”

If my kids are expected to put their devices away and not be scrolling all the time, I need to model that behavior too.

And here’s the thing: 15 minutes of truly focused, dialed-in quality time is worth infinitely more than two hours of distracted togetherness. Getting on the floor and playing Legos when they were little — that was everything. Set a hard rule about it. Set boundaries so your clients respect that. And be genuinely, completely present when you’re with your kids.

Building Something Worth Showing Them

If you want to build something that is actually worth showing your kids — something that gives you the freedom to be fully there for them — that’s exactly what we work on inside the Agency Accelerator Mastermind.

I just had one of our weekly mastermind calls today, and I’m telling you, the women in that room are incredible. One of our members shared that this is her favorite time of the week. The calls are about two hours and they leave feeling energized. And I feel that exact same way — every single week. It is so cool to put something out into the world and watch it attract exactly the right people, and then have it become even better than you ever imagined.

If you’ve ever felt that guilt — I should be with my kids, but I can’t stop thinking about work — let’s talk about that. You are not alone. And having a community of women going through similar things, with real structure and strategy and a proven model underneath it all — that is powerful beyond what I can express.

One More Thing Before You Go

We also have this really cool resource I want you to grab. Do yourself a favor and check out the free Premium Positioning Audit that I’ll link in the comments. It’ll take you about five minutes and it is going to finally tell you why premium clients aren’t finding you, and exactly where you need to focus so you can change that.

It’s a very powerful free tool. It’s going to show you some blind spots and give you immediate, actionable strategies so you can start to draw your dream clients to you like a magnet. Just simple, simple changes. It’s not about your skills — it’s about your positioning. And we’re going to take care of that for you.

For those of you who are moms, or are thinking about becoming moms — know this: building your dreams and building your family are not mutually exclusive. It is valuable for your kids, at every age, to see you working. To see you fulfill your passion and your purpose. To see that you get immense joy out of creating something that matters.

They’re watching. They’re noticing. And there is so much good that comes from them seeing mom build something that truly lights her up.

So do your work. Share your work. Show your kids that mom is making an impact — and that she is also right there for them.

Now go out and crush it this week — because I’ll be over here crushing it too. 💪