Do your kids have a baby book? I remember receiving a memory-type book at my son's baby shower. There were image slots for his first day home, nursery, trip to the pediatrician. I documented his first time smiling, laughing, taking a bottle. I added photos from all our outings together.

But then I went to work. And the reality of starting to juggle home, office and baby made it difficult to read the mail – let alone update the baby book! And now that my "baby" is in school and playing sports, I don't catch all of his games or know who all of his friends are.

I think the hardest part about being a working parent is what you miss out on at home – and on the field. The milestone moments, new friends, big wins, and fun excursions. Of course, we secure our bonds every second we can and jam fun things into the weekends. But missing out is what started "Mom Guilt" in the first place, right?

I haven’t solved the working parent dilemma(!), but I'm hoping to help relieve it a little. I'm so excited to announce a free app from Care.com that is designed to help parents feel connected to what’s going on at home. It’s called Karoo. The idea is a virtual memory keeper where you can get updates even when you're at work. The idea is that parents and nannies will stay connected by sharing exciting moments throughout the day. The idea is to help parents feel like they’re not missing anything.

Some cool aspects? You can share photos, videos and updates in one place. And you can use our CareLogs section to keep track of things like bottles taken, diapers changed, meals fed, medication given and homework finished (for the older kids!). So instead of getting hundreds of emails, Facebook updates and text messages from your nanny, all of your children's photos and videos will be in one private, secure place. And unlike other social networking sites, you can control who sees your personal family updates by inviting grandparents, family members and friends to your Karoo. Of course, if you have specific photos you'd like to be shared more broadly on sites like Facebook, you can do that too!

We think Karoo is going to make a huge difference to working parents and help nannies showcase the care and attention they give to their work. At the moment, it's only available on iPhone, but we’re going to keep building on our app. In the months ahead, we'll be developing a version for Android phones. It's going to be the must-have app for any caregiver and parent. Download Karoo today!

So tell me, how do you keep in touch with your nanny? Do you ever feel like you're missing out on things? And, what is your favorite picture/memory of your child(ren)? 

P.S. Check out our infographic on how busy moms use technology.

When it comes to rewarding our kids, I can't help but wonder if all the trophies and praise are doing more harm than good.

Whether its coaches giving medals to the entire soccer team with a losing record, teachers using "friendly" colors to grade papers instead of red, or parents who never give constructive reviews, I'm just not sure I agree with excessive praise. Sounds awful of me, right?

My generation wasn't raised with tons of rewards. Personally, I was expected to work hard for my successes and feel lucky to have been consistently encouraged to do better. And for me, losing stung (it still does). Seeing others do better than me was hard to digest. But you know what? It made me work harder!

I recently was asked to speak at a women's leadership conference and when writing my speech, I reflected on a number of events that brought me to where I am now. Admittedly, I doubted myself when it was first suggested I become a CEO. But it was hearing from someone else that I was capable of this role that made me know I could do it. After so many years of honest feedback, when someone gives me praise, I believe them. (You can watch my speech where I talk about crying at work, self-doubt and game faces.)

So I ask you: Would you rather have your kid grow up with a little false confidence  - or a little self-doubt? I'd choose self-doubt... and let me tell you why.

First of all, I call it healthy humility. I want my kids to believe in their strengths, but know their weaknesses. Everyone has them. But it's how you push past your personal challenges that make you a fighter. In fact, knowing your weaknesses is really a strength.

I believe my job as a parent is to give my kids the skills and drive to succeed. It's to boost their confidence, but also to be honest with them and give them strategies for how they can work harder and bounce back from defeat. My husband and I are our kids' biggest fans, cheering for them, hugging them, loving them. We're honest when we think they did their best. And we're honest when we think they didn't.

But if they're looking for a reward after a mediocre job, it won't come from us. Let's face it, it can be a harsh and challenging world out there, and it doesn't do our kids - or society - any good to send them into it with inflated egos.

While I don't want to raise our kids exactly how I was raised, I know that years of hearing my strengths and weaknesses have humbled me. I still work every day to be a better boss, mentor, wife and mom. And now, I strive to raise my own kids to believe me when I say, "You were awesome" because they've also heard me say "I think you could have done better."

Too harsh? Tell me your thoughts. Do you ever feel bad for giving your kids the honest truth? Do your kids receive praise and trophies from coaches and teachers for everything that they do? At what age is this okay - and when do we start being (a little) more honest?

Cheers,
Sheila

"I think he needs more attention at home."
 
That’s what my son Ryan’s teacher said to me when he was in second grade. He’s in college now, and the statement still stings. My husband and I had been called because Ryan was being disruptive. He was talking out of turn, "acting out," testing boundaries.
 
As a working mom, I felt like she stared right at me when she said this. All I heard was "You shouldn’t be traveling for work so much. You should be home with your son. His bad behavior is all your fault."
 
Part of this was my own guilt, right? What she was saying was that he needs more attention. But it was a mixture of her tone and my insecurities that made me feel judged – for working. My husband didn’t walk away feeling attacked. But I did.
 
Most working moms will say they’ve felt judged at some point in their lives. Stay-at-home moms will say the same thing.  Everyone feels like the other is judging them: we’re either not involved or we’re too involved. Just like we’re either too fat or too thin. We’re the hardest on ourselves.
 
We’ll never win this battle within ourselves unless we get more comfortable with why we work – and filter all the “noise” around us.  We recently asked our Working Mom Message Board for the worst thing anyone has said to them and had some shocking answers, including "Don't you wish you could stay home?", "I could never have someone else raise my children," and "It never occurred to me that you would want the promotion, seeing as though you have small children at home."

As for my son, the statement from his teacher was a bit of a wake-up call – even if I felt personally attacked. My husband and I both started sitting down with him more at night – making sure he knew he was our top priority. And while it did change our nights from being less casual (dinner, homework and TV time) to more focused (dinner, homework and family game time), I was able to support my son – and still support my family.
 
But I ask you: How would you have responded to this teacher? And what is the worst thing someone has said to you as a working parent?

Read more advice from Working Moms:  12 Tips from Working Mothers by Working Mothers

Generations of working moms have fought the battles at home for more help and support in our careers. And guess what? Today, our partners are doing the dishes, splitting childcare responsibilities and recognizing their earning potential. So what's the next big battlefield? The workplace.

Care.com surveyed 1000 working moms to get a sense of how you're feeling at home - and at your jobs. I have to say, as a Mom and a CEO, I was really pleased to get these results. Moms like being working parents more than ever before!

Most indicated they love being a great role model for their children, feel more creative and motivated as a working-parent, and even feel they add a better perspective at their jobs now that they are moms.

And 89% of moms in dual-income households feel that their spouse/partner supports their career goals.

Does this news surprise you? We all know how hard it is to juggle work objectives, personal relationships, having fun, finding childcare, school agendas, parental concerns (as in, the seniors in our lives), and the newest kid interest (what do you mean -- you don't like dinos anymore?!).

But here's the bad news -- working moms don't always feel supported at work:

• 73% do not have child care benefits at their jobs.
• 36% feel that family obligations are impacting their ability to advance professionally.
• 56% agree that spending time with family instead of at the office impacts professional development.
• Nearly 40% have felt judged as a working parent.

So Moms, what do we do about this lack of support? Like the generations before us, it's partly our responsibility to make a change. Here's what I suggest:

We could ask our HR departments for more childcare benefits (send them this Workplace Solutions information). We could initiate the planning of lunches with colleagues -- rather than happy hours. We could start talking to our supervisors about career goals - and a plan for reaching them. And we can get over our fear of being judged as parents. Instead, focus on the strengths you have as a Mom: multi-tasking skills, ability to juggle stressful tasks, negotiating tactics, staying on top of trends, great managers, classic over-achiever tendencies.

And the reality is that this survey shows that working moms are seeing themselves as mothers who work -- not as working moms -- and that they not only have ambitions, but find that they are better contributors in the workplace because they are moms. Professional aspirations aren't being abandoned for raising a child. Families are supporting each other -- it's the workplace that needs to catch up.

• Join our Working Mom Discussion Group
• 10 Tricks to Managing Life as a Working Mom
• Love the image above? Post our Moms Making it Work Infographic on Facebook or Twitter and share with friends!

So, tell me: Do you feel supported at work? Have you put career goals on hold to be a Mom? What's the hardest part about being a working parent? What are your tips for managing work and family?