Front Row

September 25, 2025

When my daughters did youth theater, they used to brace themselves whenever their dad was in the audience; my husband David’s laugh is so singular, so explosive, that their friends backstage would all grin knowingly at Madison and Ella whenever they heard it. I'm sure it was embarrassing then, but the girls remember it fondly now. These days, David is more in their metaphorical front row than in any literal front row, but his applause is still as genuine.

He and I saw the comedian Paul Reiser perform recently. We’ve admired him since the old Mad About You days, plus I’ve always loved his book Babyhood, which stands out for its mix of hilarity and honesty about the chaos of early parenting and the beautiful mess of being human. Reiser doesn’t pretend to be an expert; he just gently invites you to see yourself in his story. He did the same in his stand-up routine: It didn’t feel like we were watching him perform, but that he was creating a place where we could all be ourselves, looking at life together.

Each of us has the power to cultivate spaces where those around us are encouraged to show up fully as themselves. That’s one of the central ideas in my upcoming community leadership book The Eclipse Effect: How to Seize Extraordinary Moments to Build Strong Communities (pre-order at your favorite online seller here!). True leadership means shaping an environment where everyone feels welcomed... not just included, but seen and valued for who they really are. The book provides strategies for doing so, whether you're leading a business, a community group, or a family.

Of course, parenting is leadership of the most personal kind. But unlike most leadership roles, it asks us to hold two positions at once: We’re on stage, of course, modeling behavior and asking the young people to watch.. But we’re also in the audience, listening closely, watching with love, and applauding as our kids grow into themselves.

It’s the best seat in the house.

—Debra Ross, publisher

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