# A mother who took a career break after 20 years She paused her career to spend more time with her college-bound children. - **Source:** [Business Insider](https://www.businessinsider.com) - **Published:** 2026-08-16 - **Topic:** [Career Growth](https://brifing.si/c/growth) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/f252c246-e980-424f-8cee-72977f6a26f4 ## Quick return, late break Leslie Cohen returned to work just 10 days after giving birth to her second son. The company was short-staffed and asked her to come back early. In return, she got to work 4 days a week and had night nanny support. Two decades later, she decided to take a career break as her children prepared for college. She realized she wanted to spend more time with them during this important transition. ## Flexible work arrangements For her first son's birth, Cohen spread 3 months of paid leave over 6 months. The company was in the middle of a big deal, and she didn't want to fall behind. She transitioned back by working 2-3 days a week. With her second child, she returned much faster. Today, many companies offer more flexible and longer paid leave policies for parents. ## Support during teenage years Cohen never forgot a colleague's words: 'Anyone can hold a baby but not everyone can solve teenagers' complex problems.' Now she feels her 20- and 21-year-old sons need her more than ever as they navigate college transitions. She wants to be present for this critical phase in their lives. ## Meaningful moments During her career break, Cohen had a 1.5-hour café chat with her son after back-to-back eye doctor appointments. At 10:30 on a Wednesday morning, she realized she'd never have had this time normally. This conversation reaffirmed her decision to take a break. ## Partner's role Cohen's husband was a dentist and teacher at the time. He didn't take paternity leave as it wasn't commonly available then. Today, many companies offer equal paid leave for both parents, reducing pressure on working mothers. ## Career ladder Cohen started as a project manager in commercial real estate and rose to COO. Like many women in tech, she advanced quickly in her career. Now she's choosing to slow down this rapid pace temporarily. ## Paid leave policies Cohen pioneered more progressive paid leave programs at companies where she worked. Today, many organizations offer extended paid leave for both mothers and fathers, reducing the stigma and challenges working mothers face. ## New chapter Cohen is now enjoying this special time with her children. She says her upcoming career move will offer more flexibility. After 20 years of intense work, this is her first real break, and she fully appreciates its value. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.businessinsider.com/returned-work-after-birth-taking-time-off-grown-kids-2026-8 — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._