Since May is the month of all things mama, I thought I would write about #allthethings we learn from our moms! A friend of mine actually gave me this post idea. This friend is such a strong, independent woman and an awesome mama, and I believe that she got all those things from her mom. She told me that she has noticed that she is becoming more and more like her mom every year and she owns it with pride and that there is no one she would rather be like than her! I feel the exact same way about my mom, and this got me thinking of all the things that I have learned from her. There are so many great ones, but a few of them have stuck with me, and I hope to pass them down to my kids.
Confidence and independence! My mom was a very strong and independent woman. She worked full time while we were growing up, but was able to do a great job at balancing counterbalancing her work life and her family life. She let me and my sister make our own choices and learn from them even if they weren’t always the best ones, but she also created a safety net to fall back on if we needed her. We always knew (and still know) that she would be there for us at any time. Now that I have kids, run a business, and have two part-time jobs, I realize that balancing it all is definitely a skill I have learned from her.
“This too shall pass!” This was a very common saying that I heard from my mom over and over (and still do) when things were tough. And like a friend of mine said, when you are in the thick of whatever is going on this can be very annoying to hear, but it is so true. When things are tough and you want to quit just trying to get through whatever it is; then evaluate the situation after it’s over and learn from it!
I also reached out to some of my mom friends to see what they learned from their moms; here is what they said:
“When your kids get older I’ve learned that parking your chair right in front of the garage door waiting for your child to get home from a night out with friends is COMPLETELY NORMAL…even if your child is 30!!! (This may or may not have happened before).”
“Don’t ever back away from something that interests you because it’s a man’s job. My mom was a geologist in the oil field and a champion skeet shooter, yet she also sets the most beautiful table you’ve ever seen. As a woman, you don’t have to live in a certain proper box…go after all your many interests…you never know how you might change the world for the better if you do!”
“Approach life with the intent of making memories. She always told me growing up that time goes by so fast…I never got it until I had kids. So there’s that…and never leave the house without mascara on!”
“Celebrate the lasts. Everyone is great at recognizing firsts in parenting. She was always aware that any given moment could be a last…the last time they ask to be held, the last time they ask for help climbing a challenge and so on.”
“Don’t over-pluck your eyebrows. They’ll never grow back…and darn it, she was right!”
“‘Just wait until you have kids!’ was something my mom said when we tested her patience or wanted us to understand that being a mom wasn’t easy. I find myself understanding more and more how hard my mom worked for us…staying at home and all the little things she did that made life easier and better for us.
To my Mom and all the Mom’s out there…thank you! You are doing a great job!
