I spent many of my childhood years complaining about my mother, dwelling on all the things she did wrong – like not letting me go to NYC with some friends from high school when I was 14. Did I think she was crazy?!?!??!
Now that I have my own kids, I realize what a great job my mom did. She had 6 kids to raise while dad was at work all day. She dealt with everything from skinned knees to broken hearts, from running away to petty theft, from missed alarm clocks to broken curfews.
She told us she didn’t sleep well until we were all home safely, so we were to wake her up when we came in from dates or parties. But yet waking her required a stick of dynamite! No doubt she was exhausted from dealing with all of our trials and tribulations during the day.
I hope I provide my kids with even half of the unconditional love my mom showed me through my difficult growing up years.
Even now, I know I can call her (daily!) for advice on my kids. She is so good at seeing the good in them at the very moment I want to kill them all.
Love you mom!
