How do you really feel on Mother’s Day

I have researched women who have a wide variety of emotions when Mother’s Day rolls around.  Some women are honored and grateful, because they have been given the opportunity to give life to another human being.  As a result, they feel like it is a precious time to celebrate.  They have loving spouses that salute them during this time and go over and beyond to make sure that they feel loved and cherished. There are single mothers that I have researched that have mixed emotions during Mother’s Day.  Some feel like they have been abandoned and don’t view Mother’s Day as a time to celebrate, while others feel like regardless of what happened with them and the father, they have still been given the chance to mold a special life – their child.  When I was doing my research, I found a group of women  that use Mother’s Day as a time to reflect back over their childhood.  They analyze how they were treated as a child and then compare it to how they perform as a Mother today.  Oftentimes, there are similiarities between the two forms of treatment.  If they are from a home where the mother was the sole provider, they may vow to do everything possible to stay in a marriage to allow their children to have a father in the house.  That can be good, if they are in a healthy marriage where they are being valued and appreciated as a mother and wife.  However, the choice to remain in unhealthy situations for the sake of their children only, may chip away at their self-esteem over time. The other category of women that I have researched fall into the category of moms on a mission.  These mothers have adult children that have all gone in separate directions due to their careers and they live all over the place.  It has been years since these mothers have spent time with their children under the same roof.  Their mission this year is to reunite with their children and enjoy the chance to be with all their children again, even if it is for a brief time.  The next group of women are women that have experienced miscarriages or have had to have a hysterectomy throughout their childbearing years and they are cherishing every moment that they have with the children they do have.  Obviously, the misfortune that they have experienced that are beyond their control will have a lasting impact on their lives. Which mother are you?  I would love to hear how Mother’s Day really makes you feel.  As a mother of five, I am so grateful to have the chance to contribute to what they will ultimately become.  I love being a mother more than anything else.  I love my children unconditionally and I KNOW that they love me the same.  In my house, my husband and my children go all out to make sure that I feel special and appreciated.  They make homemade cards, take me out, buy flowers, cook for me and anything else they can do to show their appreciation and love.  My daughter, who is 14 months old, showed her love for me at a restaraunt this eventing.  SHE THREW UP ALL OVER MY DRESS DURING THE MIDDLE OF DINNER!

Living in Balance: Tips to keep you sane and your children happy during the summer

Summertime is quickly approaching! I would like to offer a few tips that I have implemented throughout the years that have made my life easier. With 5 children, it is extremely important that we mentally prepare for the summer. My husband and I sit down months before the summer to discuss our vacation schedule to make sure that we have quality time with our children. We discuss what we want them to experience during the summer and do the research to determine the locations that will work best for them to have the maximum amount of fun on our vacations. We also determine, in advance, which weeks we will have them participate in a summer camp. We already know which camp they will attend and exactly how much it will cost. We notify the camp, in advance, of the weeks that they will not be attending the camp. By notifying the camp of our children’s vacancy, it may allow the camp to open up their slots to other children instead of saying that they are booked for those weeks. I really like taking my children on a summer tour with mommy and daddy as well. That makes our children feel like they are able to really be involved in mommy and daddy’s world. That enables us to still do our work and then spend some quality time with our children without placing them in babysitting the entire summer. Also, that gives the babysitter a much needed break over the summer. Whenever we travel during the summer months, I have individual book bags packed for each of my children with activities, DVD player, games, cards, and academic lessons. We have structured time throughout the day for each activity. I make sure that my children don’t get too far away from the academic side of things by including a lesson plan daily into our routine. They get rewards when they complete a set amount of chapters. I also limit sports during the summer, because I have 4 children that play sports and they would miss so many games that it wouldn’t be fair to the teams. Summer can be fun if you really plan everything out and have a very detailed and organized schedule. Pull out a plain notebook so that you can start writing your thoughts down about the summer and start planning right away. Most importantly,value the time you have to spend with your family and make every minute count!

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