I have in recent years come to realize how much influence my mother has had on my life.For a long time I minimized her impact preferring to think because I am so different from her that I was not very influenced by her at all.
The truth is that many of my strongest characteristics, my lifestyle and even my career can be connected to lessons and conclusions drawn from her.
I should say that my Mother and I are not close, she is reserved, negative and has never been the affectionate or motherly type. She is a home body and loner.
I am passionate, optimistic, affectionate and expressive.
I have a strong maternal instinct and am dedicated, loving, affectionate to my children. Some say I do too much but I have given all I have to my kids; my heart, soul, money and time. I took my job very seriously, still do.
I am independent, confident and social enjoying all of life.
In these ways and others we are very different women; values, ideals, styles. Her influence is apparent in my choice to be so different.
Recognizing her impact on me as well as the impact I have had on my own children has been both humbling and profound. Being a Mother is an enormous undertaking and responsibility. Mothers have more impact on their children in most cases, than any other being in their lives.That impact can be a powerful, positive force forming a solid foundation for their lives or a negative weight that may hinder them for years to come. Most often it is a mixture of both and maybe as Moms all we can strive for is to offer an experience that is more positive and solid than negative and weighty.
There is no denying however that we are role models; whether modeling the traits and behaviors to avoid or ideally showing through shining example how to be a well balanced, healthy, happy and successful human being.
Somehow I instinctively knew that when raising my kids. I recall being very aware of the responsibility and enormity of the task.
Certainly, I model behaviors and traits that are not the best, but overall I see in my grown children many positive ideals, values, habits and behaviors that I share or influenced. I have been fortunate that they are all smart enough to have adopted the good and improved on most of the others.
So many times when our children are growing up we think they are not listening, but one day you will overhear them giving some of your advice or passionately defending a value you hold dear.
Keep in mind they are watching too. They see who we really are. They know if we walk the talk and live our ideals. They learn values from our behaviors more than just what we say.
Children adopt their sense of themselves from their mothers, their view of others and the world as well as hundreds of other attitudes and beliefs. This does not lessen the impact and importance of Fathers or other influences but most of the time the Mother has a primary and unique role. If you really take it on it is a massive job to be a Mom. It is both exhausting and greatly rewarding but there is no greater impact you can make on the world than to give to it wonderful human beings.
Mothers are always role models.
Are you being the role model you want your children to have?
Happy Mothers Day!
