Years ago, I heard Woman Business Owner of the Year Mimi Kirsch speak at Seattle Women Business Owners. She owns Paradigm Communications (they produce the in-flight magazines Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air) and she was addressing working mothers. I remember her message very well. If stay-at-home mothers like being at home, their children are happy. If they don’t like being at home, their children don’t do as well. If working mothers like their work and communicate this to their children, their children are very well adjusted. If they communicate that they hate having to work etc, their children are not as well adjusted.

Once, when I had to work in the evening, I communicated to my young son that I didn’t want to go. I just want to work that night. Oh my gosh. My normally self-reliant kid glommed onto my leg and pleaded with me, “Momma, pleeeese don’t leave me”. The picture was complete with big eyes and a tear or two. The next time I had to work in the evening, I communicated how happy I was to go do what I was doing, and how interesting it was going to be for me. He was a totally different kid. He looked up briefly from his Legos to say “Bye mom! Dad and I are having pizza!”

The lesson—if you have children, communicate to them that you like your work. They will be happier and better adjusted. Kids pick up on our discontent and it affects them. Kids need to see positive examples of working women. Share your frustrations with your friends, not your kids.