A Secret About My Mother, by Lara Schiffbauer

Want to know a secret?

Everyone in the world may think their mother is the best, but they are misguided.

My mother is the best.

There are a host of reasons that I could share to back up my claim, but for the sake of time I’m going to share my top three.

Reason #1:  My mother taught me about respect, while letting me voice my opinions about things.

My mother (known fondly as “Mom” to me) told me once that she and my father both endured some harsh comments from critics of their parenting style because they would let us talk back – to a point.  She said they wanted to be sure my sister and I felt like what we thought was important.

Through consistently enforced boundaries, my mother taught me to respect authority.  If my sister or I ever went a little too far with our “opinions,” we were quickly reeled in with firm consequences.

Reason #2:  My mother taught me to be responsible.

My sister and I had chores from an early age.  Some people think it’s a terrible thing, but we were paid for our chores.  Guess what it did? It taught me the value of money.  I learned that I had to work to get the things I wanted.  I also learned that if I did a good job, I would get the paycheck at the end of the week, but if I did a poor job (or didn’t do the job at all) I wouldn’t get anything.  And Mom wouldn’t let us off the hook.  If we didn’t have the money that weekend for fun stuff, that’s just the way it was.

Mom also taught us how to be responsible to others.  She taught us how to live in a family or community.  She never let us mistreat others, and instilled empathy in us from an early age.  If we got into a fight, whether it be with each other or some classmate, she would always ask, “What did you do?” It wasn’t accusatory, but meant to teach us to consider how our actions contribute to any given situation.  Then, she would ask us, “What do you do now?”  She allowed us to figure out for ourselves, with some guidance, how to problem solve our relationships.

Reason #3:  My mother knows everything.

It’s true.  You can ask my husband.  If we have a question about anything, I call my mom.  She is an expert in home medicine, parenting, relationships, computers, and everything in between.  The questions she can’t answer, my father can – but that needs to be saved for a Father’s Day post.

I know I have been extremely blessed in the parent department.  My mother’s family has not been at all supportive the way my mother and father have been to me.  My mother credits her grandmother for teaching her to be the best mother ever – not her mother.  I think my Great-Grandmother did an outstanding job.

Why do you think your mother is the best mother ever?

Lara Schiffbauer

Lara Schiffbauer is a writer, licensed clinical social worker, mother of two, wife of one, and a stubborn optimist.  She loves Star Wars, Lego people, science, everyday magic and to laugh.  You can contact her at laschiff(at)ymail(dot)com, direct message her on Twitter at @LASbauer, at  Linked In or on her blog, Lara Schiffbauer’s Motivation For Creation.

Opening photo – Blank66 from sxc.hu