Of course there were times, particularly when you travel, when it's very tough to leave the kids, particularly... — Anna Wintour

Of course there were times, particularly when you travel, when it's very tough to leave the kids, particularly when they were very young. I would try to take them with me when I could just so they could experience and see a little bit of what a work day involved.

Author: Anna Wintour

Insight: There's a tension most working parents feel that rarely gets talked about honestly: the guilt of leaving, and the equally real pull of wanting to keep doing the work that makes you feel like yourself. Wintour's approach—sometimes taking her kids along rather than just disappearing—sidesteps the false choice between being fully present at home or fully committed at work. It acknowledges that both things matter, and that sometimes the answer isn't choosing one, but finding a way to weave them together. The less obvious part is what she's actually modeling: kids don't need a parent who's physically there all the time but mentally absent, resenting the sacrifice. They benefit from seeing a parent who's engaged in something meaningful, who brings them into that world occasionally, who shows that work can be interesting rather than shameful. It reframes parental presence from "hours logged at home" to "what are you actually showing your kids about how to live?" Of course, this only works if you have the flexibility—and Wintour's position gave her choices many people don't have. But the underlying insight still lands: sometimes the best thing you can do for your kids is let them see you do the thing you care about. It's more honest than pretending work doesn't matter to you.