Thursday, November 23, 2006

strong mommy

I find that usually I use my blog to vent about things that bother me so I thought today for a change I would write about a good experience I had with Emi. It'll probably end up sounding like bragging but when you work really hard at being the best mom you can be and your kid notices it and tell you about it then I think it's worth writing about.

A couple of weeks ago when Emi came home from school one day we were talking about how her day went when she suddenly asked me why the other kid's moms were not "strong". At first I was puzzled because I wasn't sure what she was referring to. Just before that we had attended a sports day for the girl's preschool and the parents had participated in some events so I thought that maybe she was talking about moms who had weak muscles or something. When I ask if this was what she meant she rolled her eyes at me and said, "No, mom, I mean how come some other moms don't say no to their kids. How come they're not strong?". OK, these are deep thoughts so I'd better pay attention. I asked her if she thought I was strong and she emphatically said yes. Then I asked her if she thought that it was a good thing that I was "strong" and she said yes again. I was so happy. Sometimes I feel like I'm really strict with the girls trying to teach them all that they need to know to survive in this world. In general I have a tendancy to overthink things and especially with Emi I wonder if I'm squashing her inner person. This is something I won't really know until she's grown up and then the "damage" will be done. Usually I don't let these thoughts control how I parent but occasionally they well up and overwhelm me and I just pray that I'm doing the right thing.

But Emi, who watches and remembers everything, appreciates the fact that I'm "strong" and do my best to guide her and her sisters in "the way they should go". I can only hope that when they are old they "will not depart from it". This is really my prayer as a mom. (Proverbs 22:6)

So I write this to encourage all the moms out there. Your efforts are not in vain and whenever you feel like giving in to your kids on main life issues, don't! They may not appreciate it at the moment but in their hearts they are hoping that we stand up, take leadership and do it with love.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful thing to be able to read about your granddaughter (sp?) that she recognizes your strength as a strength! I'm tempted to forward this page to every mom in our school....You blessed me today, Sarah love Mom

Sarah@mommyinjapan said...

Go ahead, mom, it would be great if it would encourage other moms!

Anonymous said...

I can say without hesitation that I learned how to be strong yet encouraging with Xander and Felicity from the example that both you and Maria set. And whenever I spend any time with you, I learn a couple more things that I can take home with me. You are a great teacher to other moms, and you do it with such humility and humanity. After all, we're mothers, not machines!