Importance of being a stay at home mom during High School???

I work full time and always have. When my children were really small I was stuck in a job that was 40 plus hrs. and offered no flexibility. They were in school/day care a lot. Our lives were really hectic. For the last fifteen years I've still worked full time but have been able to be at home more. My children are older now (late teens and college) but

I have always felt that my son needed me more during the high school years, then he did when he was younger.

I work PT, but really try to be there when my kids get home from school. I have a sophomore and an 8th grader. I think it's great if you can swing it without hardship because even when my kids are too tired or grumpy to talk to me, they do express themselves in other ways (stomping, playing Beethoven on the piano) so I get a sense of their mood. I also think that even when teens don't talk to you, they appreciate it when you are there.

The key is to not expect your relationship to change. She isn't going to suddenly confide in you unless she's already doing it, but she will appreciate you driving the soccer carpool, etc, even if she never tells you. But you will definitely know more about her life and her friends, especially if you just listen. If you do this, definitely volunteer to drive as many carpools as you can, then just listen to their talk while pretending not to pay attention.