Twenty years a mother, and I still get it wrong!

Posted on by tric

Oh dear, I think I have been a mother too long!
When I had my first child,
I quite literally “adored” her.
I experienced a love and devotion to her,small__5791333345
that the most ardent followers of religion,
would find it hard to beat.
She could do no wrong.

I had a second, third and fourth child,
and although I deeply loved them,
my blind belief in my children was tested.

Over time my blinkers slipped,
or were pulled from my eyes,
by teachers, others parents and the neighbors!

I soon came to see,
that the children I loved and cherished,
were capable of living a life,
not dissimilar to the one I had lived as a child.

My love for them never died,
but my blinding trust sure did!
“No, we have no homework”,
“I did text you, you mustn’t have got it”,
“Everyone is going”,
“I will not be drinking”.
All these were said,
with the straightest of faces.

Over time I realized,
how talented my children were,
regularly giving Oscar winning performances.
As they grew up though so did I.
I became a “mature” mother,
one people would call “experienced”.
Both titles I was proud of.

Until last night.

Last night my daughter,
came into the sitting room.
She was smirking and said,
“Mom I really appreciate you”,
“Yes?” I said,
whilst bracing myself,
“I really wanted you to know that” she said.
“Yes?”, I repeated,
really beginning to sweat.
I began to relive the last twenty four hours,
wondering what I had missed.
“Well, this is for you”, she said.small_425099288
producing a wrapped package from behind her back.
Inside was the DVD of Les Miserables.
I was stunned, and thrilled.

As I hugged her and thanked her,
I was forced to apologize,
for what I had been thinking.
She laughed heartily,
but it has left me uneasy.

I am a good mother,
I know that.
But the time has come for me to realize,
that I am in fact,
the mother of good children!

photo credit: Ernie-Nela via photopin cc
photo credit: minxlj via photopin cc</a

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25 thoughts on “Twenty years a mother, and I still get it wrong!”

  1. Great post tric. You are surely a good Mother, because, believe it or not, you have good children. Just like a good team creates a good leader (and seldom vice versa), so does the good children create good parents. We must be honest enough to admit that. 🙂

    It’s amazing that we often like to take credit, rather than to give the credit where it’s due. I like your thought provoking post. Have a great day!

    Reply

  6. I had a really rough day of parenting today. I am ten years into parenting and it is a marathon that some days I feel as if I am losing. Thank you for your post, it lifted my head a bit above the water line and tomorrow I just might start treading water a little bit more than today.

    Reply

    1. Hang in there. I have had a million of those days, and they are so difficult. “This too will pass” is all I can think of to say to you. I am at a stage where if anyone asks how my crew are I say “today they are good”, because I have no idea what tomorrow will bring. However as you know we do have great days too. Heres to a better tomorrow for you.

      Reply

  9. With the 5 and 7 year old driving me nuts, this is such a breather !!
    Reminds me what Erich Fromm had said, ” The mother-child relationship is paradoxical and, in a sense, tragic. It requires the most intense love on the mother’s side, yet this very love must help the child grow away from the mother, and to become fully independent. “

    Reply

    1. Wow, so very true and exactly what is happening between my daughter and I at present. Thank you so much, and thanks for reading.

      Reply

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