I am a mom to three girls, ages 14, 12 and 6. I am a wife. I am a business owner. I am 14 years into this motherhood thing and I thought I would have more answers at this point than I do. And anytime I do get things figured out, I realize that all that goes out the window with the next child because their personality, needs and abilities are so different. But one thing I do know is I just need to show up.

As business owners its so easy to let work take over your life. There’s a never ending list of things that need to be done. When your kid is showing you their new house on Minecraft they built or telling you chapter by chapter about the book they are reading or telling some elaborate story about what happened at recess that you only partly understand, it’s so easy to think about all the other things that you could be getting done.

Catherine M. Wallace wrote, “If you don’t listen eagerly to the little stuff when they are little, they won’t tell you the big stuff when they are big, because to them all of it has always been big stuff.”

They really are little for such a short time. So be there for it. Put the phone down. Have time that’s just for family. Actually listen to them. Go to their games and performances. Play catch, rehearse lines with them, shoot hoops, read Green Eggs and Ham a hundred times, color, do their barbies hair, paint nails, eat dinner together, just be there.

Now, I am not about the mommy guilt. Nor am I suggesting that you neglect your business. All I am saying is when you are with your kids, BE with your kids. I love me a good Ron Swanson quote, “Never half-ass two things, whole-ass one thing.” At work, be at work (work at home moms, I know the struggle of separation of work and family), but during time with your kids, bring your whole-ass and be with them.