I am enrolled in the school of motherhood.

This is a strange place to be because every mom wants to be the best mom for her child. Every mom wants her child to be proud of the person she is. Every mom wants her child to feel happy and safe with her.

But motherhood involves a lot of work!

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I have been a mom long enough to relearn some of the forgotten lessons of my life.

I relived my childhood while playing those little games with you.

I rediscovered my strengths while teaching you to get up when you fell.

I restored my faith in goodness while telling you the stories of valor and virtue.

I relearned to pray for others while praying for your friends who you love so dearly.

I rebuilt my hopes for a better world for tomorrow because you will live in that world.

I rearranged the priorities of my life to focus on myself because I realized I cannot be a better mom without being a better person.

I have been a mom long enough to understand my actions will speak more than my words.

I took on more responsibilities to show you there is nothing that can stop you when you set your mind on doing something.

I involved you in what I was doing to tell you that work can be fun, too.

I shared my dreams with you to let you know the power of having dreams.

I owned up to my mistakes and said sorry because I felt empowered in the whole process, and I wanted you to see that.

I shared with you my vulnerability to show you courage is the power to overcome those fears and not the absence of fear itself.

I talked to you about my broken dreams to tell you broken dreams don’t equate to a broken person.

I have been a mom long enough, and I am still learning some of the best lessons of my life.

I am learning not to compare myself with anyone else because I don’t want you to do that.

I am learning to keep working on myself because I don’t want you to stop growing at any age.

I am learning to stand beside you and sometimes behind you to let you make your decisions.

I am learning to listen without judging every time you talk to me about your goals and ambitions.

I am learning to feel a sense of accomplishment each day because I want to transfer that feeling to you each time I kiss you good night.

Motherhood is a lot of work!

A lot of work on oneself because it is your actions your child will follow—not your words. 

I enrolled in this school of motherhood exactly 14 years ago, and I thank my children for all the wonderful lessons I am learning in this journey of motherhood.

Previously published on the author’s blog

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