Happy Mother’s Day! It’s the one day of the year, where we celebrate all mothers. Never thought I’d want to be a mother, especially a mother of three! Didn’t think I had motherly instincts, nor a desire to hold babies. Children irritated me with all their loud sounds and whining.
But I have a fabulous, self-sacrificing, kind, and caring mother and I inherited those qualities. They were hidden deep, down inside. Now I give my life for my children (and other people’s children).
I’ve learned from being a teacher of struggling children, that one must teach explicitly and in a structured manner. This carries from the classroom to the home. These days, I find myself coaching my personal children on advocating for themselves, conducting meetings with school administrators, and the workforce. Step-by-step, holding their hands along the way.
But with Mother’s Day, I have a husband, that doesn’t take the initiative to plan, much of anything fun or extracurricular. So this year, I did explicit teaching. I reminded my children and husband that Mother’s Day is coming up and what I expected, a surprise, an outing without complaint, and for my son, I told him exactly what I like, flowers. He said balloons are cheaper.
Why not? For some in my family, thoughtfulness doesn’t come naturally. So I used the same verbal teaching and review, as I do in teaching math (less the index cards). Let’s see what kind of day I get. I am hopeful.
Happy Mother’s Day to all you amazing moms, grandmas, and caregivers that give their lives to support children everywhere!