As a mother I have achieved many titles during this journey (some of them without a degree to hang on the wall). Over the
course of motherhood I have become a doctor, a lawyer, a teacher, a chauffeur,
a coach [in several different sports] – (because I paid my $5 to sit in the
stands for too many years not to have a certification in that), a nurse, a
maid, a referee….the list could go on and on!
In the past few weeks I have [figuratively speaking] came
in on two wheels attempting to save the day for one or all of my children. My
26 year married daughter with two children sends me a text the other night
needing toilet paper, it’s important to include the fact that she lives 5
minutes down the road from me and 6 minutes from the Dollar Store; my son tells
me the night before his senior research paper is due that he needs my help,
only to find out that he has one paragraph written and my middle one sends me a
text telling me that she needs help with homework that has to be turned in that
night – mind you she is in Australia studying abroad and has been gone two
months and I still can’t figure out when her nights are so I’m sitting at the
kitchen table trying to help with a homework assignment going on halfway around
the world.
At this point that I have come to the conclusion that as
a mother we deserve a title that surpasses all others…we are superheroes! I mean the flowers, cards and gifts are nice tokens of appreciation, but what we really
need is a cape...because well we deserve one and we need a shirt with a big fat M
on it instead an S, because truthfully we have more powers than Superman!
Only as a mother can we accomplish the things that we do. I mean who else can squeeze a quarter out of a nickel? Who can be at 3 different ballgames in 3 different locations on the same day? Who can multi-task by cooking dinner, doing homework and laundry all at the same time? Who else could manage to grocery shop with tiny humans wanting everything from Cheetos to freezer pops? Who else can make sure that the lunch money is paid (or the lunches are packed), that the field trip permission slips are signed AND turned in on time or that there is proper attire and perfect hair for picture day? Who else can make the appointments and actually get the children to the pediatrician, the dentist, the dermatologist, the orthopedic doctor, the orthodontist and the ear, nose & throat doctor? Do you see where I am going with this? I mean I'm not saying the father isn't important....but....have you seen a man try to make sure an outfit matches, that the right meds go to the right kid and that there is something from all the food groups represented at dinner? I mean sure they could do it - BUT can they do it without having a minor meltdown deep down inside? Can they do all this without sneaking a Xanax out of the medicine cabinet when no one is looking?
Yes, my children are grown. The last one is about to leave the nest and unlike the job that I get a salary for that I will one day retire from...my days of being a mother and being needed are far from being over. You know what? That's perfectly fine with me. I'll take the stress, the long days, the sleepless nights, the constant worry until I know that they are all home safe, the delivering of toilet paper at 11:00 at night, the sudden rush to finish the paper that should already be done and the realization that homework is certainly not what it used to be (in America AND Australia).
When I think about all the things that being a mother requires; I think that one day a year is certainly not enough to celebrate us! I think we should have a week - National Hero with an apron week or something like that. Until then though, I will settle for the satisfaction of knowing that my children (whether they admit it or not) know that deep down they wouldn't be who they are without their mom and that their mere existence from day to day has been because I was there and will continue to be for whatever they may need at the moment.
Only as a mother can we accomplish the things that we do. I mean who else can squeeze a quarter out of a nickel? Who can be at 3 different ballgames in 3 different locations on the same day? Who can multi-task by cooking dinner, doing homework and laundry all at the same time? Who else could manage to grocery shop with tiny humans wanting everything from Cheetos to freezer pops? Who else can make sure that the lunch money is paid (or the lunches are packed), that the field trip permission slips are signed AND turned in on time or that there is proper attire and perfect hair for picture day? Who else can make the appointments and actually get the children to the pediatrician, the dentist, the dermatologist, the orthopedic doctor, the orthodontist and the ear, nose & throat doctor? Do you see where I am going with this? I mean I'm not saying the father isn't important....but....have you seen a man try to make sure an outfit matches, that the right meds go to the right kid and that there is something from all the food groups represented at dinner? I mean sure they could do it - BUT can they do it without having a minor meltdown deep down inside? Can they do all this without sneaking a Xanax out of the medicine cabinet when no one is looking?
Yes, my children are grown. The last one is about to leave the nest and unlike the job that I get a salary for that I will one day retire from...my days of being a mother and being needed are far from being over. You know what? That's perfectly fine with me. I'll take the stress, the long days, the sleepless nights, the constant worry until I know that they are all home safe, the delivering of toilet paper at 11:00 at night, the sudden rush to finish the paper that should already be done and the realization that homework is certainly not what it used to be (in America AND Australia).
When I think about all the things that being a mother requires; I think that one day a year is certainly not enough to celebrate us! I think we should have a week - National Hero with an apron week or something like that. Until then though, I will settle for the satisfaction of knowing that my children (whether they admit it or not) know that deep down they wouldn't be who they are without their mom and that their mere existence from day to day has been because I was there and will continue to be for whatever they may need at the moment.
