When it comes to moms, I consider myself one of the luckiest people around. I know, lots of you are saying no mom could top your own. If that’s you, I’m happy for you! I still say mine is the best, and I wish I could be more like her.
My mom was the quintessential mom – she was an amazing cook, kept a beautiful home and always made sure my two brothers and I knew how much we were loved. And she still does!
I grew up at a time when many moms including mine had the opportunity to stay home and take care of their families. Dad was gone long hours at work, which meant in some ways my mom was a single parent. Her job was to run the household and see to it that her kids grew up to be responsible adults. She did that with structure and discipline that we resented at the time but are grateful for now that we have kids of our own.
Mom had a strong belief system that she shared with us. I think that is very important because I believe all children need something to believe in. Mom also made sure we had a connection to her German roots and created traditions that we could look forward to for every holiday.
Mom shared some of her favorite hobbies with me, including one that I’m way too good at – shopping. My mom is great at finding just the right thing and has a wonderful sense of style, both for herself and in decorating her home. What other teenager would admit she borrowed clothes from her own mother’s closet!
When it came to taking care of her health, mom taught by example more than by instruction. She always took good care of herself and managed her weight well. She cooked healthy foods and taught us to eat moderate portions. She even made me try things I didn’t like, like Brussels sprouts.
Like most kids, I tried hiding them in my napkin. But mom being the exceptional mother that she was caught on early to my scheme! That’s another thing about my mom – she always paid attention to her kids, even when we wished she wouldn’t.
So much of who I am now goes back to the example my mother set for me. She served as a member of the board for a local hospital, and did lots of volunteer work at the hospital. Her example led me to become a Candy Striper and helped me be comfortable in a hospital setting. That’s a huge asset to me now in my work as a health advocate.
In fact, mom was my role model for becoming an advocate. As a child I spent almost two years out of school with horrible asthma. At the same time, my mom was going through her own health issues that led to a hysterectomy and early menopause. If you know my story, that sounds too familiar!
But even though her own health was bad, mom never stopped advocating for my health. She researched treatment options as well as doctors and didn’t stop looking until she found one with a plan to help me get better.
If there is one thing I regret about my relationship with my mom, it’s that I didn’t talk to her sooner about her health and our family’s health history. What a wealth of knowledge I ignored! Even when I had my own hysterectomy and all the health issues that followed, it didn’t occur to me to talk to mom about the parallels between her health and mine.
I finally made the connection and we have had long talks about her health and my family’s health in general. I know that may seem like being nosy or invading a family member’s privacy. But when you share the same genes, you deserve to know if there is a health issue in your heritage that you should watch out for. The whole family can benefit from sharing this kind of knowledge.
I think this is especially important for women. Our bodies go through incredible hormonal changes as we grow from teenagers to women having children to women in menopause. Knowing how your mom handled those kinds of changes may help you anticipate your own experience and give you a better idea of what you need to do to stay healthy at each stage of your life.
I am proud every time someone comments that I am like my mom. I can’t thank her enough for all the lessons she taught me and the example she set. As mom said, she also had a mother who was a wonderful example for her. Now my grandmother’s legacy lives on in me.
So mom, this blog is for you. And to all moms everywhere, Happy Mother’s Day!