The announcement that White House Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett and U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez will soon kick off a historic 'Lead On Leave' tour is exciting news that comes amidst strong, widespread demand and support for paid leave.

It was easy to be idealistic when I didn't have to worry about mortgages, car payments, child care expenses, health care costs, or dramatically escalating college tuitions. But that Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da approach to life changed when I got married, bought a house and had my first kid.

For over 20 years, mom has made weekly trips to see Deb, her hair dresser. Often my mother would regale me with tales of woe. Not her own, but poor Deb's. My mom, a psychotherapist by training, had great empathy for Deb, a single mother whose history was marred by misfortune. But there was only one problem with this relationship. Deb could not cut hair.

This Mother's Day, give yourself and your sons a gift. Find time to talk and listen. Put down the smartphones, turn off the TV, share your insights and get some insight into their world.

I am in awe of their tchotchke-free homes, but I could never be them. Reminders of my past--old letters, the kids' artwork, vacation souvenirs and the bad poetry of my angst-ridden teen years -- all make me smile.