GoKawiilC-suite mother of two shares two-decade playbook for managing work-life guilt
A veteran executive who has spent over 20 years balancing a demanding leadership role with raising two sons reflects on how guilt shaped her early parenting years, recalling a moment when a child assumed her sons' mother was dead because she was rarely seen. She describes learning to separate presence and sacrifice from constant guilt as her career and family both matured.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
Her account reflects a broader tension many working parents, especially mothers in senior roles, face between career visibility and family presence. As more women reach executive positions while raising children, personal narratives like this shape workplace norms around flexibility, guilt, and what 'good parenting' looks like alongside ambition.
- A senior executive recounts 20+ years managing guilt over splitting time between career and motherhood.
- A child's blunt question about her being 'dead' became a turning point in her thinking about presence.
- She argues sacrifice and guilt are separable, offering a reframing for working parents in leadership roles.
Simple Elephant Daily Planner — Balancing a C-suite calendar with family life takes intentional planning, and this undated planner gives you space to block out both board meetings and bedtime stories. Its goal-setting and gratitude pages help you focus on presence instead of guilt, one day at a time.
See Simple Elephant Daily Planner on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: fastcompany.com, 2026-08-31
Published there as: “I’m a mother and C-suite exec. Here’s how I let go of guilt”
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