Mother's as Nurtures

Mothers don't give themselves enough credit. Mothers are hard on themselves when they really don't need to be.
In the book Successful Marriages and Families it tells us that in a survey of mothers in the United States, fewer than half of mothers felt appreciated most of the time, and almost 20 percent said they felt less valued by society when they became a mother. I know as a mother that there have been time where I have felt this way. I have felt like I'm not contributing to society or sometimes even my family because I wasn't helping out financially but being a full-time mom was important to me. It's funny because since my divorce and having to work, when people have asked me what I want to do or what kind of job I want I always say " I just want to be home with my kids, I just want to be a mom". I think I took for granted the time that I did get to stay at home and be there for them all the time but when your situation changes, you really begin to see what's important.

I love this part of in the chapter this week where is says " Motherhood is the greatest potential influence either for good or ill in human life. The mother's image is the first that stamps itself on the unwritten page of the young child's mind. It is her caress that first awakens a sense of security; her kiss, the first realization of affection; her sympathy and tenderness, the first assurance that there is love in the world. (p.452)

Even as a woman in my 40's I still want my mom when times get hard or when I have to go through something tough. I live on the opposite end of the country from her and it is really hard to be away from your mother and even more hard when you don't have a husband either. Luckily I have sisters that work for airlines so my mom can fly free and visits whenever she can.

From the very beginning of the life of a child, that child's life depends on their mother. Mothers nurture and and help children develop through the safe environment they create. The give love and offer peace and learning. A mothers work is emotional in so many way. It's hard, it's scary, it's fun and happy, is stressful and draining but every morning when that child wakes up it's hard to communicate how that mother feels when seeing the child for the first time in the morning. There is so much love felt toward that child. Let's not kids ourselves, we may not feel that way throughout the day, we may be tired and ready to give up but the time we put kids to bed at night but when we wake in the morning we know its will all be worth it.

 I love this! Its so true the things a mother will do or give up for their children! 

A quote by Sherry Dew said " In their divine identity as mothers, all women have been called to partner with God in doing all they can to hep guide children home to him." As a mother to three children who have an inactive father and no family around it is my job as their mom to be the example. The show them the importance of the Gospel and being close to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. It's not an easy task. My older kids at this point are not active members but I continue to invite them when they are home, to come to church with me. I offer them support and hope that by showing them the importance it is to me, they will understand that its something they need and want in their lives. 

"There is no work in which the Lord takes greater interest than in the nurturing and rearing of our children. Because of that, we can be assured that He will strengthen mothers in their holy calling".

I hope my children know how much they are loved. I often tell them they won't understand how much I love them until they have their own children (hopefully that's not anytime soon). And to my own mother, I hope she knows that she is an amazing example of love.

Hawkins, A., Dollahite, D., & Draper, T. (2012). Successful marriages and families. Provo, Utah: BYU Studies and School of Family Life, Brigham Young University.