Happy Mother's Day to me

Empty-nester moms like to remind me that no matter what I do, children will grow up to be their own people and that I can not be held responsible for everything my children do.  And I agree.  Moms can only do so much to teach, nurture, guide and in other ways push/help their children into mature, responsible adulthood.  

But at the same time, it makes me sort of sad.  So, mature, empty-nester mothers, what you're telling me is that I'm wasting my time?  I've quite my super-lucrative career as a teacher, haven't slept through the night in years, push a hundred-pound stroller while attempting to train for my next race, and all the other unpleasantness that comes with having a couple completely dependent little creatures around, and you're telling me that kids will turn out the way they turn out.  That my efforts are in vain?  In that case, I think I'll just quite now.

And then my kids do something super cute, and I give myself a giant pat on the back, because I'm a good mom.  I'm a professional.

Rex and Alice made up their own game on Sunday night and then played together without fighting for 45 minutes, when I told them to stop so they could go to bed.  Because I taught my kids how to play well together.  Because I'm a good mom and what I do matters.

A few weeks ago, Rex came into the kitchen while I was making dinner and asked me to spell a word for him because he wanted to write in his journal.  Of course, then Alice also had to join so I got her a journal too and she scribbled while Rex composed entirely on his own (I had to do the spelling but he told me what to spell) three complete sentences.  Because I taught Rex the alphabet and have instilled in both my children a love for reading and literacy in general and taught them how to express themselves.  Because I'm a good mom and what I do matters.

So while my kids may not turn out perfect and may end up doing some things I wish they wouldn't, what I do matters.

So happy Mother's Day to me.