Why Being a Working Mom Matters – For Us and Our Kids

Motherhood is a journey filled with both quiet strength and noisy chaos—equal parts love, learning and letting go. And for working moms, that journey comes with a unique set of challenges and triumphs. Balancing careers and caregiving isn’t just about logistics; it’s about identity, purpose, and the powerful messages we send to the next generation.

At Fletcher, we believe there’s value in the vulnerability and courage it takes to show up fully—at work, at home, and everywhere in between. This Mother’s Day, we’re honoring that reality by sharing four personal reflections from members of our team. Each one offers a unique perspective on why being a working mom is not only meaningful, but essential – to us, and to the example we set for our children.

The Fletcher Perspective

Kelly – Building a Business, Raising a Man

Mother’s Day always stirs something in me—a cocktail of gratitude, grit, and grace. Not just for the journey of motherhood, but for the journey of becoming the woman my son, Fletcher Kress, needed me to be.

When I started my PR firm at 40, I didn’t have a roadmap. What I had was a vision, a laptop, no real business experience, and a little boy with a toothy smile who believed I could do anything. That belief fueled me. Every media pitch, every late-night strategy deck, every client crisis I handled—I did it with one eye on my work and the other on the little person watching me.

Being a single mom and an entrepreneur wasn’t easy. There were sacrifices—late nights at the office with Fletcher sitting across my desk doing homework, lots of late-night dinners and school lunches that got packed with one hand while the other typed emails. But there were also unforgettable victories. Like the time I landed my first national client and celebrated over Sushi at NAMA. Or when he stayed up late helping me at an event hosted by Wolfgang Interiors. He volunteered to stand at the door and welcome guests. He donned his khakis and little sports coat and stood at that door for 3 straight hours. Now, that’s a 9-year-old’s work ethic!

Through it all, I didn’t just raise a son—I raised a witness. Fletcher saw what it looks like when a woman leads with purpose. He watched me face rejection and bounce back. He watched me stand behind a podium, command respect, and tell our firm’s story with unapologetic clarity. He saw me lead a team, nurture a brand, and still show up for his football and basketball games.

Today, my son is a man who listens deeply, respects fully, and never underestimates the women around him. He doesn’t just admire strong women—he expects strength in women, because it’s all he’s ever known. That’s not to say he doesn’t recognize tenderness, softness, and vulnerability, too. He just doesn’t confuse any of those with weakness.

Watching him succeed in his own right—carving out a path with integrity and heart—has been one of my greatest joys. I like to think that some part of that came from the kitchen-table conversations we had about work ethic, or the quiet car rides home after a tough day when he heard me say, “I’ll figure it out.”

Motherhood gave me purpose. Entrepreneurship gave me a voice. Both shaped my legacy.

So, to all the mothers building something from scratch while raising someone from scratch – know this: the work you’re doing matters. Not just in your business, but in the character of the human being you’re shaping along the way.

This Mother’s Day, I’m raising a glass to the women who do both. And to the sons and daughters who are better for it.

Sarah – The Quiet Gifts

To be perfectly honest, I wasn’t thrilled about this topic at first. I love and value my career, but if I’m being real, given the choice and the right financial situation, I would have spent my son’s baby and toddler years at home before returning to work. The mom guilt of leaving him crying at daycare five days a week still stings some days. It’s been hard to imagine any kind of upside when you’re in the thick of it.

But sitting down to reflect made me realize that by staying with my career – by continuing to grow even when it’s hard – there are quiet gifts I’m giving both of us, not despite the hard days, but through them.

What I’m starting to see is that staying in my career isn’t a betrayal of my son — it’s a commitment to being a whole, authentic person he can truly know. It shows him that it’s possible to love your family deeply without losing yourself. That following your own path doesn’t compete with the people you love; it strengthens the life you’re building together. That’s not just a silver lining — that’s a life lesson I hope he carries with him as he grows.

Motherhood hasn’t just changed my personal life — it’s made me better at my job too. It sharpened skills I didn’t even know I had: empathy for my team, the ability to juggle competing priorities, stronger organization, and a sharper focus. Balancing both roles isn’t easy, but it’s made me better in both.

Allison – Raising Empathetic Boys

The world has changed in many ways since my mother raised me. Women now lead in boardrooms, classrooms, courtrooms and beyond—but we’re still on the path toward real equity. One of the ways I believe we move closer is by modeling it for our children. I want my sons to grow up knowing what strength looks like in all its forms: bold and gentle, driven and deeply present.

Like so many women, I want to do it all—and in many ways, I am. I’m building a meaningful, demanding career while raising a toddler and a teenage stepson. I try not to miss baseball games, bath time, dinner or bedtime stories (though the teen has mostly aged out of those). I also thrive in the professional space, where I can stretch my skills and contribute in ways that challenge and fulfill me.

My identity is rooted both in motherhood and in my career. Years ago, a director told me, “You can have it all—just not at the same time.” I’ve been quietly working to prove her wrong ever since. I believe we can be all the things: leaders, entrepreneurs, educators, artists, nurturers, caregivers and fierce advocates—in whatever combination speaks to us.

I’m the president of my neighborhood association. I show up for baseball games, rarely miss toddler bedtime, and I still deliver for my clients and my team. My days don’t always follow traditional hours. Sometimes I’m monitoring media placements or logging reports after bedtime so I can make it to carpool between meetings. It’s not seamless – but it’s working. And I want my sons to see that.

We raised our daughters to believe they could be anything. But somewhere along the way, we forgot to prepare our sons to live in that world. I want mine to grow up knowing how to support and respect women, not just as mothers or partners, but as leaders, colleagues, and bosses. I hope their future partners thank me for raising empathetic, equity-minded boys. And I hope my sons grow up believing that women can be powerful and tender in the same breath—because they watched me live it.

Melanie – Setting a Joyful Example

My sons know me as a “goofy mom” – the one who sings opera in the kitchen, makes chores fun, and packs the best snacks for our weekend adventures of hiking, camping, and fishing. They see a mom who laughs often, works hard and finds joy in both. And that’s exactly the example I want to set.

I love being a working mom. Truly. It fulfills, challenges, and connects me to a sense of purpose beyond the home. But it took time to get to this space of balance and joy. My journey into motherhood didn’t follow a typical path. I was a young reporter helping to raise my husband’s firstborn while navigating breaking news, tight deadlines, school projects and baseball practices – often solo while my husband worked on the road. I was constantly in “go-mode,” trying to prove I could do it all.

Looking back, I wish I had given myself more grace. I’d tell my younger self: You don’t have to choose between being present and being productive. The magic is in learning to be both, joyfully. I finally began to feel that balance by the time our eldest reached middle school, and I’ve carried that growth into motherhood the second time around.

Now, with a new toddler, I’m deeply intentional about how I show up. I want my sons to see that being a working mom doesn’t mean being stressed, overwhelmed or emotionally unavailable. It means showing them how to move through life with purpose and presence. It means modeling what it looks like to pursue your passions while prioritizing your family.

Research shows that children mirror what they see. They learn to manage stress, handle responsibility and value themselves by watching the adults around them – especially their mothers. I think often of my mom, a formidable force in Houston’s healthcare administration world. She worked incredibly hard and raised three strong daughters, but the stress took a toll. Her example taught me strength. But it also taught me that I want my sons to see something more: that you can lead with both strength and softness. That fulfillment and flexibility can coexist. That being a working parent can be a beautiful, empowering part of life – not something that steals from it.

So yes, I love being a working mom. I love the way it sharpens my mind and strengthens my heart. I love that my sons see me tackling work projects, happily contributing and still making time for learning activities and bedtime snuggles. They are learning by watching – and I’m proud of what they see.

Work is part of who I am. But motherhood is the heart of why I do it all. And showing my boys how to live joyfully, work meaningfully and love deeply – that’s the legacy I’m building, one goofy opera song at a time.

Honoring Every Version of Working Motherhood

These stories are just a glimpse into the complex, rewarding, and sometimes messy experience of being a working mom. While each perspective is different, they all point to a shared truth: that showing our children what it means to pursue purpose, practice resilience, and embrace imperfection is one of the most powerful gifts we can offer. This Mother’s Day, we celebrate all the moms who are doing the work – in every sense of the word – and showing future generations what strength really looks like.