Thriving...in Spite of It

Enjoying the company of my amazing 16-year-old daughter at a camp retreat recently. The richness of our relationship now outweighs everything I missed when she was little and I was working mom.  Looking around at the women I know with mountains of to-do's for Thanksgiving day, I wonder that a day intended for enjoyment could become so exhausting. Are we overcompensating? Being a working mother creates many challenges, but I think the number one issue is guilt. I missed my baby's first words, first steps, and all those things that make motherhood so wonderful, because I had to work.  It still bothers me, even though I was blessed enough to retire early to enjoy their teenage years with full force, volunteering at the school, going on field trips, and being there to facilitate lots of get-togethers and outings with friends. In the early years, however, because I was away at work every day, I found myself overextended, over-scheduled, and exhausted from trying to be super