Happy Mother's Day!

It seemed about a perfect day outside.  It was sunny and warm, I'd just come from a  luncheon for the YWCA focused on empowering women, eliminating racism and, I was listening to Talk of the Nation on NPR.  The interview was of Amy Dickenson from the Chicago Tribune.  The topic was her new book and Mother's Day.   She made an interesting comment about Mother's Day and how it has become a confused holiday.  Who do we celebrate?   Our mom?  Our daughter who is a mom?  Our grandma?  Or is it a celebration of the women who brought you up or "mothered you" at some point?

I'd introduced the blog to my  mom this week and we'd discussed mothering too.  It is interesting.  As a mom you  are thrown into a sink or swim situation as soon as your baby is born.  You're just supposed to innately know what to do.  You find yourself scouring the bookshelves at the library or bookstore for parenting books.  You know, the ones that have all of the latest philosophies on how best to raise a well adjusted, confident kid.  The topic that there seems to be a hundred conflicting views on, and every one of them is convinced they are right.  You turn to your mom for advice, you turn to your friends who are mom's for advice, you look to Lorelai Gilmore hoping you can do it all and still be hip, and in the end you become a mom yourself.  Through trial and error and a lot of heartfelt help.

Times change.  For example, I don't think today we could carpool several kids to school in the back of a VW bug when they're all in booster seats until age 8.  With every generation there is social, technological and environmental change.  I would say that every parent, regardless of generation, thinks back to their up bringing. What things that were perfectly normal then would you never consider for your children?  Remember, seat belts weren't always the thing to do!  I don't think that mothering itself has changed so much as evolved with the time you're mothering in.  

As your kids get older it gets easier in some respects, they are more independent.  It gets harder in some respects, they are more independent.  How many of us said: "when I have kids I'll never say that?"  How many of us reflect, laughing now,  and say "I sound just like my mom!"  Thank God for that!  I'm a happy adult with a beautiful family that I can say my mom had a big part in making me the mom I am, generational change or not.  Happy Mother's Day!