5.12.2012

Adventures in Motherhood

I've been a mom for nearly 35 years, and I'm still learning how to do it.  The problem is, my kids keep growing up and onward, and then I have to figure out how to best love and support at that point in time.  It's an ever-changing adventure. 

Having said that, there are some fascinating and marvelous things I've discovered that have proved to be invariable. 

1.  Nothing beats rocking a freshly bathed, sleepy, wrapped-up-like-a-sausage newborn.
 
2.  Watching a baby taste a lemon wedge will always be funny.
 
3.  Firstborns are saddled with unrealistic expectations and warped by their parents’ smothering adoration.   When the full effect of that kicks in, therapy might be needed.
 
4.  Sesame Street is a prime example of excellent family viewing.
 
5.  Potty training is more fun when Dad encourages Junior to aim at Fruit Loops floating in the toilet.
 
6. Taping words all over the furniture really does help a toddler get an early jump on reading.
 
7.  Anger management is a crucial, mostly neglected skill that everyone needs to learn, starting at age two.
 
8.  Parents have to perpetuate some half-truths:   1.  "This is the most beautiful turtle I've ever seen...."  (the truth of that is you love it because your nine year-old made it.) 
 

....and 2.   "Of course you'll use Algebra some day." 
 
9.  Viewing the X-ray of your seven year-old's fractured tibia due to a misplaced kick in a soccer game, you realize your best protective abilities will never be enough.
 
10.  When the fire department arrives, the cookies are done.
 
11.  Keeping the house clean and orderly ought to be secondary to having your children "help."
 
12.  Matching socks are over-rated.
 
13.  Show a budding daughter how to tweeze her eyebrows before she shaves them off in the shower.
 
14.  Studying weekly vocabulary words over a bowl of popcorn makes for good memories (and excellent verbal skills.)
 
15.  New shoes for the grand kids are one of the best gifts grandparents can give.
 
16.  When Junior shaves his head for the school play.....relax.  Like eyebrows, hair grows back.
 
17.  Rocks can't plug a hole in a swimming pool liner.
 
18.  No matter how often you tell your kids you love them equally, they don't believe you.  Only God can remedy this.
 
19.  Word problems are an unnecessary evil.  Example: If the train station is five miles away, and Junior can ride his bike faster than any kid in the neighborhood, how many doughnuts will he buy at 7-11 on the way?  Exactly. 
 
20.  French fries dipped in chocolate milkshakes aren't bad.
 
 
21.  Teenagers need hugs, whether they want them or not.
 
22.  Science projects are more about parents than kids.  A baking soda volcano versus "The Molecular Structure of Acid Rain."  Really?
 
23.  You can tell your children repeatedly that they are precious, valuable, capable and smart.  The world will tell them they are insignificant, worthless, incapable and dumb.  They will believe the world.  There is something wrong with this picture.
 
24.  A hair dryer will not undo the damage after soda gets spilled on a laptop keyboard.
 
25.  Fathers need to praise their children and reveal their tears.  Forget the macho hoo-ha.
 
26.  Seeing humility and compassion in your offspring is a greater reward than seeing achievement or success.
 
27.  A new pocket knife has to cut something. 
 
28.  You don't really know what you believe, or what you'll fight for, until you have a child.  


16 comments:

Dana said...

So true. I enjoyed this. Number 28 really touched my heart.

Have a wonderful Mother's Day!

Unknown said...

I was just reading some of this to my son who is home on his day off for Mothers day. We had more than a few giggles together,very very funny Mare!
Happy Mothers Day to you and your Mom!

Jayanthy Kumaran said...

wow..such a lovely post
new to your space
excellent space you have
happy following you..:)
do stop by mine sometime
Tasty Appetite

betty said...

I enjoyed reading all of these; so very true with them all; I do agree that teenagers need hugs and words of affirmation, no matter how tough they are or how rebellious they might be. In our trying teen years with son (and the stories I could tell, LOL) I would constantly remind him that he was a good kid who sometimes made bad decisions, but I wanted him to know that I still considered his core was good, he just often chose things that would get him into LOADS of trouble.

and of course, lots of prayer for our kids, lots of prayers.....


May you have a Happy Mother's Day!

betty

Fran@Broken Cookies Don't Count said...

Great Post, Mare! Happy Mother's Day!!

Tracy said...

Mare, those are all wonderful; love Number 21...although my new 'teen' still loves these! Thanks so much for the precious insight!

Joyful Noise for a Joyful Life said...

Thanks for a most amazing list of wisdom.

Martha said...

Wow, this is by far the post of the year! It made me laugh and brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for this on this Mother's Day. Hope your Mother's Day was a happy one :)

Mari said...

There's a lot of wisdom in this post! I loved it!

Michelle said...

Great list! My husband said a pocket knife isn't happy till it draws first blood. This was not a comfort I think he thought it was!

Marie said...

This list is terrific! #28 is sooo true! When my son was a toddler I labeled everything around the house. It did give him a jumpstart in reading.
I hope you had a beautiful Mother's Day!

Kathy ... aka Nana said...

What a list of wisdom with some humor mixed in. Hope you had a marvelous Mother's Day!

Lynn Proctor said...

what a wonderfully creative tender list!

Margot said...

What a great list. I found myself laughing or nodding my head as I read along. Made me smile - thanks

Cari said...

This list made me laugh and sigh and get a smidge weepy.

My fave:

You can tell your children repeatedly that they are precious, valuable, capable and smart. The world will tell them they are insignificant, worthless, incapable and dumb. They will believe the world. There is something wrong with this picture.

EXACTLY!!!! Pray, that's all we can do huh?

Great post:) And the garden above is coming along nicely, yay!

Michael Ann said...

This needs to be published somewhere!