I get a lump in my throat just thinking about it. Another summer has come and gone. I see so many moms posting about how they can’t wait for their kids to go back so they can have some time to themselves. Meanwhile I keep thinking that I just didn’t get enough time with my girls. I have a long list of things I “wish we would have done.” Luckily after a few minutes of feeling bad, I can snap back into reality. We did do things. We went on vacation. We went on weekend trips. They were able to participate in swim team. My oldest was able to go to horse camp. They played on their trampoline. They played with the neighbor kids in our wonderful neighborhood. If I wasn’t a working mom, the list of things they did this summer would be so much shorter. The reason I work is to give my kids experiences and opportunities that they otherwise wouldn’t have. I work so that we can afford to live in a good school district and give them a great education. I work so they can participate in extra-curricular activities. I work so that we can afford to take vacations and create memories that will last all of us a lifetime. As much as it pains me to leave my kids to go to work, I am a better mom because of my career. I cherish every minute I spend with them. My children see that a woman can play many roles and there is no limit to what they can do. So as I prepare them for another school year, I am thankful for the experiences we have had this summer. I am thankful that it is time to get back into a routine. I am thankful that I am able to send them to a school district in which I have confidence that they will learn and thrive. So, I want to tell you, the working mom that is feeling a bit sad me being hard on yourself…. be proud of what you do. Being a working mom is no easy task. You give SO much to SO many. Give yourself some grace.