Mom use to say

Whoever said that raising girls is easier than raising boys probably hasn't had kids of their own yet.  Kids are kids and no matter what gender they are - there will always be challenges.  Don't get me wrong, my kids are awesome.  But everyday I hear my mom's words come out of my mouth.  Every so often I would jokingly tell my kids, "I don't really miss grandma because I hear her almost everyday."  I hear her every time I'm barking out orders, stopping a fight, rushing the kids out the door for school, scolding over sloppy homework or messy rooms. I use to think my mom did not make any sense.  Now I get it.

My mom use to say, "take a nap because I want to rest and I can't sleep if you are awake."  I use to wonder why she couldn't sleep if I was up and about.  But now I know because it never fails.  The moment I lay down to take my little break, one of the kids would stroll right into the room and complain about what the other sibling has down to her.  Or I would hear the two older ones arguing about something.  Or the youngest would be nowhere in sight and all of a sudden a crash would signal where her location actually is.  So yes, the kids need to be napping (and right next to me so that I can make sure they are down) so that I can nap.

My mom use to say, "you need to fold your clothes again and this time do it right."  I didn't get this either.  But now I know.  After the kids fold the clothes (this is when I busy myself to something else), they put away their stash.  Sounds like the deal is done.... until the next day when they are changing.  They pull the third shirt from the top, and suddenly all the improperly folded clothes give way.  Do the kids stack them back neatly.... noooooo.... they leave it as it is.  So the once neatly put away clothes are now in shambles.  So yes, I too tell the kids to fold the clothes again and this time do it right.

My mom use to make sure we were all around the table during dinner and studies have now shown that a family who dines together tend to raise successful kids.  My mom use to make sure we prayed before going to bed and now this habit is still with me.  My mom use pray over me and my sisters before we went off to school - while she combed our hair we could hear her praying under her breath for our safety and for our academic well being.  She always dreamed of being a lawyer but only had a third grade education - so it was never going to be.

My mom use to say, "you are lucky you have a mom."  She said this because she grew up without one.  Her mom died when she was only six and grew up with a step mother who told her she needed to stay home from school and help out with the house work.  At the time I thought - you call this lucky?  She always seemed to have a never ending list of chores and it felt like it was her goal in life to make life miserable - she was not at all like the Beaver's mom.  But now I know.  I was lucky to have a mom.  She taught me the importance of selflessness and hard work; the importance of striving towards a goal; and the concepts of taking care of my husband and my kids.  So yes, I too tell my kids, "you're lucky to have a mom.... cuz I sure miss mine."