Dear Dr. Laura, 

I had my very first and only child at the age of 39. I worked my whole life and my husband travels with our business. With that said, we decided that I would stay at home and raise our daughter. As hard as it was being out of the work force at first, it has been the most rewarding experience in my life and she is my biggest accomplishment that I would never have had, had I stayed working an hour away from home. 

She woke up every morning to a high protein, healthy, hot breakfast; lunches were homemade and dinner was on the table every night. She attended a Lutheran School through middle school which I transported her to and from every day. For eight years, she played piano and I sat and waited for her every single Tuesday in my car. She danced and eventually joined a company and that led to traveling around the country. 

I was chastised by many "working" moms. They would ask, "What do you do all day? I would go crazy being at home." Well, my beautiful daughter graduated top honors in middle school, graduated second in her high school and now is a sophomore in the honors program at University of Michigan studying bio-chemistry on a premed track. I have never been more proud, gratified, and fulfilled with an experience that I have cherished every single day. Again, she is my biggest accomplishment and I would not trade one moment. 

Thank you Dr. Laura for supporting and encouraging mothers to stay at home. To all the working moms who thought I did nothing, "How do you like me now?" 

Ava