Mother’s Day is a day very close to my heart. My mom is already gone, but we became close after I grew up. It made me very aware of how hard it is to be a mom. My mom was the kind of mom you hear about in the 50s TV shows. She didn’t wear a dress, but her home was always beautiful and she cooked like a dream. Her favorite thing to do was party with friends. She had lots of dinner parties. She and Dad had favorites on what they would serve. He would make beef bourguignon and she would serve wine that went with it. I never learned much about wine, but I’m learning now since I started with an exclusive wine club.
She and my stepdad were totally into each other!! They were so obviously in love, it embarrassed all us kids. They used to dance together. In fact, they met when she taught him how to dance at a dance studio. That was one of her jobs. Her favorite!! He came as a newly divorced man and she was at the desk. She told me that she fell in love with her first look. He really was a very good-looking guy!!
Her mom was kinda fun, rather than motherly
However, my mom’s growing up was totally different than that. Her mom was 15 when she was married and had 4 different husbands. She played piano and raised chihuahuas in her older years. She also went out dancing a lot and was very proud of her legs.
I heard many things about her mothering qualities and they were less than perfect!! She always bought black socks so she didn’t have to wash them often. Her kids weren’t very well watched. So, it is not surprising that,
Mom decided to be a really ideal mom!
My mom decided (as many kids do) to be the opposite of her mother. She made sure she kept a close eye on us. We all had chores. We had to finish our dinner before we left the table. She sewed all her clothes and even made jackets for my Stepdad. And they were beautiful!! Very professional!! Our clothes were always clean. Honoring Mother’s Day is a time to appreciate her.
She taught me how to sew and even sewed my Jr. Senior Prom Dress. It was gorgeous!! And, no one had such an original dress. I was a very lucky oldest child.
Mothers are often unsung heroes!!
I know my mom made sacrifices for me. She was married to a career military man so she moved really often. Every house though, became beautiful after she got through with it. She almost always lived off base, so she and Dad bought every house so they could fix them up. I never felt the changes though. We just moved to a new place and I went to a new school. (Luckily during those years, schools almost always had about the same curriculums so I never lost out by moving.) I learned how to make friends quickly and that makes a difference.
There are real challenges to raising a child. And everything is on-the-job learning!!
My mom used to have my stepdad blow smoke in my ears when I had bad ear infections!! Those terrible tonsils were taken out at age 5 because of that. My oldest daughter had colic for 9 months and I went through the doing everything you can and still they cry themselves to sleep. I suffered almost as much as she did!!
My mom went through that for 5 years before that was fixed!! And my little sister, who was healthy was very picky about what she would eat or wear. I still remember mom picking out 3 outfits and putting those on the bed with everything. Then she would wait until my sister made up her mind!! (And that took a while.) Mom really had a lot of patience about that. She also made sure she didn’t have anything that my sister wouldn’t eat. Mother’s day rewards that patience that all women have to have to be a mother.
During COVID many moms took on a whole new title – TEACHER
I have so many friends who have several children and they had to take care of their teaching as well as their wellbeing. Many school districts would have teachers online, but that didn’t mean that the kids would want to be there. They had to have the appropriate technology, and follow up and make sure their kids did the work necessary. That is a horrible place to be when you are probably already working to keep up financially, and now adding that!! Appreciating them on Mother’s Day would be a really good idea.
This is the day we should show our appreciation to our moms.
Mother’s Day is the perfect time to show our appreciation for all that our mothers have done for us. Whether it is through a thoughtful gift, a special meal, or simply spending time with them. With everyone living all over, in some cases, all over the world. A simple hug, if you are nearby is really appreciated!! A handwritten letter or a phone call can be more precious than any material gift. In fact, a written letter, if you live far away, is really something most mothers feel is special. Handwritten is something she will keep forever.
Do you feel like your mother wasn’t up to snuff in your mind?
Many kids don’t appreciate their mothers until they are already gone, and it is too late to let them know you actually maybe understand what they went through when you were grown up. A way to honor mothers is to acknowledge the challenges they face. My mom had to move every two and a half years. My children not only moved a lot, but also were really poor because I divorced their wealthy father because he was a physical, emotional, and verbal abuser. Kids don’t like being poor and having their mothers have to work long hours. They blame her, rather than the circumstances. But, after becoming parents themselves, they may realize that life isn’t always perfect for their moms.