There are a LOT of Moms out there, like you, like the one we call Mom ourselves, and then the not-as-obvious other mothers who grace our lives with their nurturing presence, making an impact that can be felt for years, even generations. You are all AMAZING!
At Sunrise Montessori, we are about to begin Teacher Appreciation Week and if this week is like years past, then Admin will be hearing almost daily from our enrolled Mamas how our Teachers are like another family, guiding and truly caring for their children. Like those moments when Ms. Amber of the Robins classroom sits down with toddler parents to explain how the potty training process will work and how she will support them and their child with this transition or when Ms. Betsy of our Doves classroom comforts new moms dropping off their infant for the first time to go back to work or when Ms. Patty of the Blue Jays exhibits her new treasure trove of library books that she checks out regularly from the Round Rock Library to broaden their world…all of these women are like a tribe, mothering our children.
Then there are the moms who try to stay under the radar but fail miserably. I call them the family we choose for ourselves, like our friends of 15 years, Dan and Melanie Carlson. They both have helped us raise John, showcased in their thoughtful words and actions what really matters in life, and taken the time to even mother Rob and I here and there.
Life can be hard at times but it’s easier to bear with those who mother us. My mom passed away two years ago, but for years before that, my sisters and I would send her flowers each Mother’s Day. I was the one who would send them and pen the card, trying to find a new way to thank her for all of those moments when she made us feel loved, safe and important. All the lunches she made, all of the times we got sick but knew she would immediately come get us from school and take care of us, and making sure we went to college. So important and life changing, reminding us that even when life is hard, there are still soft places to land.
Let us not forget the unsung sidekicks, such as grandparents and aunts and cousins, our extended family of guardians who parent us and our children. We see many grandparents at Sunrise who support their grown child’s family by dropping off or picking up or even better, caring for their grandchildren so that their adult child and spouse can get away for a long weekend or vacation. There are other moms worth mentioning, like husbands, neighbors, coworkers, sometimes even strangers.
Which leads me to the cape-billowing bad*** superheroine in this story…YOU! You are truly breathtaking and inspiring. All of the decisions you make on a daily basis to give your child the best possible life or experience, raising them to think for themselves so that they live their lives with meaning and purpose, analyzing the short term and long term impacts…you do such a wonderful job! Your children showcase all of your hard work, all of the nights of lost zzzz’s, the baths and the stories and the near constant worry for their well being…we bear witness to the fruit of your labors at Sunrise every single day. Paraphrasing from something Jeanette LeBlanc once said, I see you. I see your billowing heart. I see your unshed tears and your dreams and your devotion to spirit. I see you. You are not invisible. You are seen. You are seen. You are seen. And my god, you are beautiful.
So many people mothering us, such a wonderful tribe making this journey lighter, deeper, memorable. Worthwhile. To ALL you Moms out there, Happy Mother’s Day this coming Sunday! You may not realize your impact, but everyone around you does.
Auntie Pat and me, one of the most influential mother figures of my life, March 2022
