Why Is Mother's Day So Important?
Whether or not you are served breakfast in bed on this annual holiday, receive a hand-made card with a tiny handprint on it or are sent off for a day alone at a spa, it is important for everyone to acknowledge and celebrate the critical role you play in the lives of your children.
Probably most woman, like myself, had an idealized version of parenthood before they actually assumed the role. In my case, I had grown up with older siblings who provided lots of interactions with young children through their children, my many nieces, and nephews. Because of that, my many years as a babysitter and then a nursery school teacher, I thought that I knew everything there was to know about babies and young children. Boy, was I wrong!
There is absolutely nothing that can prepare you for the responsibility that comes from assuming the twenty-four-seven unrelenting demands that parenthood places on you.
When we embark on this journey, either through biological parenthood or adoption we tend to focus on images of happy babies and adorable toddlers smiling and entertaining us with their cuteness. And yes, thank goodness, that is definitely a huge part of parenting. However equally present are the days and nights of frustration when colic or sleep issues, illness or oppositional behavior rain down on us.
And through it all, we must take a deep breath and begin again hoping to get it right, at least most of the time. Much of my experience with families came from my work at the Little Folks School in the nation's capital, Washington, DC. The parents of my students were well educated, incredibly accomplished and in some cases, you would even recognize their names from the world of politics, journalism, or television.
While I appreciated their professional achievements, I was always more impressed with their devotion to their children. Like parents in every community, they were eager to be the best possible parents they could be.
And so this Mother's Day, I want to salute moms everywhere. Whether you are the mom carrying the screaming and kicking child away from the candy aisle at the grocery store, the mom juggling work and family time or the mother lovingly supporting a sick child… you are my heroes!
As your child's first teacher you have hung in there through your child’s ups and downs in all areas of development, celebrating the first steps and problem-solving the missteps.
And if we didn't quite imagine how hard it was going to be, we didn't quite imagine how awesome it was going to be either!
I am sending love and praise and wishing each of you the happiest of Mother's Days!
