Last night, I had a very poignant conversation with my preternaturally wise 9 year old daughter, Beatrice. She told me I was a great mom, and I said, "Don't you think I'd be a better mom if I were around more?" It's a question I ask my working self all the time, and for some reason, I just decided to ask her directly. She matter-of-factly stated, "No."

What followed was so wise and heartfelt that it still makes me well up with gratitude and relief to think about it. Tonight, I told her again how much her words meant to me, and asked her if she would agree to type some of those thoughts up to share on my blog so all of my mom friends could read it. She said yes, so here it is....

A Letter to Working Moms Everywhere, by Beatrice Stewart

What qualifies someone as a good mom? I thought about it, and I think it's someone who cares about her family. Mom felt guilty that she wasn't spending enough time with us, and I tried to console her. My view is that a mom doesn't have to spend 24/7 with her kids, as long as she cares. The way my Mom shows it is that she works such long hours at work without stopping, just so she can earn money for us. Staying home is not a problem of course, but neither is working. My point is that if you do something for your family, like even create one, you care-- therefore, you are a good mom.