My mom was a minimalist. Everything she wore was tailored, intentional, put together. Growing up, I absorbed all of that without even realizing it. She just had a way of showing up that made you feel like how you looked actually mattered.

Fast forward to me as a mom, and somewhere along the way I got into a serious style rut. I had basically given myself a new uniform khaki pants, polo shirts, driving shoes, hair in a ponytail, and barely any makeup. I thought I looked fine. Presentable. Like a mom.

Then one evening, I was getting ready to go to my son's school open house he was in fifth grade—and he looked at me and said, "Mom, are you wearing that?"

I was caught completely off guard. I thought I looked totally fine!

He wasn't done. "Can you fix your hair? And Mom... you need makeup."

I actually laughed. Somebody had told me I didn't need makeup, and I'd held onto that for way too long. But my son was not having it. He wanted me to show up for him. So I did. I changed my clothes into something I'd wear to lunch with friends. I curled my hair, put on some makeup, and we headed out.

When we walked into that school, my son was so happy and So proud.

I will never forget that moment.

He's 33 now, and whenever we get together, he still notices.

Still says, "Mom, you look nice." That stuff doesn't go away.

Here's what really got me thinking though his style. He gravitates toward tailored, minimalist pieces. Sound familiar? It's my mom. It's me.

He watched us his whole life and didn't even know he was taking notes. His wife pushes him to step it up for special occasions, and he does, but underneath it all? You can see the thread that runs through our family.

Mother's Day has come and gone for another year, but that feeling of showing up for the people we love doesn't have an expiration date. Our kids are always watching. They notice when we take the extra time to curl our hair, put on makeup, wear something nicer than our usual uniform. And yeah, that matters to them. But what matters most?

That we show up. Period. Whether you're in your mom uniform or dressed to the nines, whether you had five minutes or five hours to get ready showing up for them is what they'll remember.

The style is just the icing on top. So give yourself grace. Do what you can, when you can. And know that your kids are noticing and appreciating you, exactly as you are.