As Mother’s Day approaches I sit here reflecting about all the things I have done as a mom over the past 13 years. There are times when I shake my head at myself and ask, “What were you thinking?” Being a mom is not an easy task and one that often emanates stress and even self-doubt. I know many moms who are constantly comparing themselves to an ideal of what they (or society) may deem to be “the perfect mother.” Any mom with a Facebook or Instagram account knows what I am talking about!
Celebrating mothers with Savvy Sassy Moms
I wanted to write a Mother’s Day article to show appreciation and showcase all you wonderful mothers and mother figures. You have made so many positive contributions, and I think the best way to express gratitude is to hear from other moms. I know so many moms raising their children with the utmost love and commitment, despite daily uncertainty and challenges. So, let’s celebrate one another and share what a special Mother you truly are!
Moms appreciate seeing their kids develop a relationship
“My proudest accomplishment as a mother is how much my kids love one another. When I see my daughters look at my son, I can see the love in their eyes. Although my family is not whole for most of the year, there’s nothing I love more than watching my children interact, whether we are on a family vacation or they are just sharing photos with one another. How much my kids love one another truly brings me joy, and I know I did something right.” – Lisa
Seeing generosity makes moms smile
“I am proud that my children are thoughtful and generous people. They are always thinking of others. They share and donate things to my classroom, and look for souvenirs for friends whenever we are away. I’ve watched them become grateful people that appreciate the efforts of others, as well as the company of others, and are sure to express their gratitude.” – Michelle
Moms love seeing their kids develop life skills
“I feel like my kids are so little still, but I’m very proud of the responsibility and ownership they already take. They always clean up their toys, their snacks and if they spill something they’ll help me get a towel. I remember having to run a few errands with my daughter (who was super sick) and she sat in a store eating crackers. She got crumbs every where and told me, “Mami we have to clean up!” And when she helped me clean she was very excited because she had “done a mitzvah.” It’s not just about being neat and tidy. It’s about not being entitled and thinking someone else will clean up your mess and taking ownership of the mess you make.” – Ashlene
Kindness matters to moms
“I asked my daughter (12 years old), and she said that I have taught her to always think before doing. Taking the high road when things get tough with peers, and to rise above. My son said I have taught him to always be kind. I have never heard from anyone that he has been unkind. (Albeit, he is 5 and it’s an ongoing lesson I hope he remembers.)” – Deanne
Moms notice when their kids help others
“The thing that I am most proud about is teaching my kids empathy, especially my son. I have many examples but the ones that stand out are: he had a teacher that was very strict and unemotional towards him. He often cried because of his teacher’s actions. The teacher’s sister died, and my son wrote a heart wrenching letter to him without our knowledge. When the teacher received this, he sent me an email to tell me. I said, “What are you talking about?” Soon enough, the letter was put on an overhead projector and read to the class. Everyone cried.
My son witnessed a boy getting beat up at a school’s playground after everyone left. Two boys were beating up another boy. My son called the police from his cellphone and waited at the scene to make sure the boy was okay, then gave his statement to the police. He cares for his sister. Sure, they have their disagreements, but they get along well. My son often asks for hugs from his sister and asks her to play board games. His sister makes him dinner and sometimes breakfast and he always thanks her. It’s not uncommon to hear them say I love you to one another.” – Relly
Moms try to teach their kids resilience
“As a parent and a Nonna of 2 sons and 3 grandsons, I have built structure in their lives. I showed them how to be resilient as well as setting realistic goals. In my role, you can never over-communicate with your children/grandchildren to ensure they become resilient and have the skills to be happy and productive in our world.” – Lynn
Moms feel proud when they think about the future
“I think I am most proud of my children’s resiliency. They have smoothly transitioned through many changes in their lives relatively unscathed. I think this resiliency will translate into many positive outcomes in their lives for the future. For them to withstand whatever comes their way is what I am so proud of as a parent.” – Nancy
Moms feel happy when their kids help others
“#1 is teaching our child how to be kind to others. This is reflective in not only how he treats his friends where he wants to protect them but also at school, how he has taken on a leadership role in assisting students in Kindergarten where he will show the students games to play outside during recess. In addition, I think this reflects well with his love of animals and how he treats animals. Robert is kind and gentle with animals. Yes, with our 3 kittens; however, with our older cat Gabrielle as well. She was an older cat, but he always treated with a kind and loving nature.
Another great thing is how our son has a deep understanding of our faith. He believes in God and is curious about God. He will speak to how God is the ever mighty being. This is important for us that he believes and puts faith in a higher being.” – Dawn
Moms feel happy when our kids make time for things they love
“As a mom, we can be so hard on ourselves about all the things we aren’t good at. This Mother’s Day, I am celebrating one thing that I feel that I am good at. I am always on the go and utilize each minute of every day. I am constantly evaluating the time I have in a day and working to make time for everything important to me. Now, I’m teaching my kids to do the same. At 4 and 6, they are learning about what they like and dislike. Now is the time for them to be involved in as much as they can to establish what they love.
I feel that I have done a good job keeping my kids active and exposing them to a variety of experiences in the time we have after school and on the weekend. Through role modeling, I have taught my kids to make the most of everyday and to make time to do what they love! I felt so proud when Jonah decided that he wanted to make time to learn how to play the guitar. He had been thinking about it for a while and decided on his own that this was something that was important to him. It is so important to me that my kids make the most of everyday and feel grateful for the opportunities that they have, like learning how to play the guitar! I feel that my kids, even at 4 and 6, have already demonstrated that I am a doing a good job at this!” – Jenna
Kids make moms proud when they give back to the community
“My children understand the importance of giving back to society through volunteering. From a young age we involved our children in volunteering by doing these activities as a family. Then, as parents, we continued to act as role models by getting involved in volunteer service. To this day, our boys volunteer in their communities and act as role models for their children.” – Thelma
Savvy Sassy Moms celebrates moms in countless ways
I occasionally struggle with the decisions I have made, but I try to have faith in myself as a loving parent. I credit a lot of my parenting to being blessed with so many extraordinary women in my life. First and foremost, my own mother taught me to give whole heartedly to those I care about. I appreciate my grandmother for her strength, my aunts who treated me like a daughter of their very own and my close friends who have guided me through my own experience has a mom. My boys show a deep love for one another, are thoughtful, caring and considerate and demonstrate respect to others. So, as I sit back and reflect about my own children, a smile crosses my face and I think “I am doing a good job.” Guess what? So are you.
Happy Mother’s Day!
A huge thank-you to the many wonderful moms I know: Lisa Kobrin, Michelle Lockett, Ashlene Azulay, Deanne O’Brien, Relly Rappos, Lynn Ziraldo, Dawn Murphy and Nancy Barn, amd Thelma Martin for sharing your proudest moments as a mom.
Comments
your mother is so proud of you. and your message brought a tear to my eyes