This week, while my son has been home sick with the flu, I found myself feeling incredibly grateful for the ability to be home with him. In the midst of the long nights and thermometer checks, I took a moment to reflect on how different life is now compared to what I once knew.

Recently, I started watching the new Matlock series, and there was a line that hit me hard-one of those moments that makes you pause and think. It reminded me of how much the world has changed, especially for working parents.

Even though I still consider myself young, I come from a generation where you just didn't talk about having a family in professional settings. During job interviews, mentioning children was almost taboo. If your child was sick, you didn't say you were staying home to care for them-you said you had a doctor's appointment. If they had a school event or a play, you couldn't just say, I need the afternoon off to support my child. That wasn't how things worked.

The expectation was clear: Work came first. Family responsibilities were something you handled in silence, never allowing them to interfere with your professional image. I carried that mindset for years, believing that showing any prioritization of family might be seen as weakness or a lack of dedication.

But today, I'm in a completely different place. I work for myself, alongside my husband, and I have the freedom to be present for my children in ways I never could before. I get to be there when they need me most. And while the days can still be overwhelming, I recognize what a blessing this is one that, at times, I might have taken for granted.

I know not everyone has this opportunity, and I don't take it lightly. For those still balancing the demands of a job that expects them to set aside their personal lives, I see you. I've been there. I know the weight of having to choose between career and family, and I hope that as the world continues to evolve, more workplaces will recognize the humanity in their employees-the reality that being a good parent doesn't mean being a less dedicated worker.

For now, I'm soaking in this moment, messy as it is, because I know one day, I'll look back and be grateful for every single day I was able to be present.

                                                                      Bee Larios