110 Ways That You Were (And Are) A Good Mom

There is no way to be a perfect mother, and a million ways to be a good one. – Jill Churchill

There are thousands and thousands of little things that parents do day-in and day-out for their kids. But what do kids really notice? What do they appreciate? What, of those thousands of things, do they recognize in their minds and remember years later that made their childhood happy, fun, successful, magical? There are so many more things I could have listed, but here are 110 ways that I think you were a good mom. 110 things that stick out in my memory.  I know there are SO MANY more things that you did raising me and I am so grateful to you and so glad that you are my Mom. I am beyond blessed. I hope you have a Happy Mother's Day!

1. You bathed and dressed me day in and day out.

2. You sacrificed and stayed home with me and raised me instead of putting me in daycare.   

3. You made sure we spent holidays together ...  if Dad had to go to work at 6:00am on Easter morning, we all got up and hunted eggs at 4:00am.    

4. You are my biggest fan.                

5. You threw me an "after prom party" with all the fixin's and flowers.

6. You took us on adventures with Marsha - you could brown bag it like no one's business.                  

7. You are a good grandmother. You love those kids!                     

8. You got me a sax when I wanted to try band.

9. You MADE me take swimming lessons to get the basics, but you didn't make me go back. Thank you ... I HATED it.

10. You had me in church when the doors were open ... choir, GA's, hand bells, vacation Bible school ... whatever.
  
11. You tell it like it is.

12. You made me memorize Bible verses on the way to school.

13. You were good at making New Year's Eve fun. We have such fun memories of calendars and good food and lots of movies. To Sir With Love!

14. You celebrated in a way that was so fun for a kid growing up ... from Easter baskets to family get togethers and birthdays to graduations. You made it an event and built memories for me and for all the other family members who were there. It was a lot of work, but you always did it.

15. You and Marsha took some of us to Six Flags for my birthday and let us run wild. I don't remember how old I was ... middle school? ... but I remember feeling so grown up. Thank you for that day and for the feeling of freedom I had.

16. You supported my move to CT the best way you knew how. And you love David now more than I ever thought you would! :)

17. Random memory: You used to cut my crusts off the peanut butter sandwiches and cut them in triangles. I would take them out and eat them on the fan on the side of the house and "have a picnic." You were probably just trying to get us out of the house because we were driving you crazy, but I remember that as being a fun time out in the backyard. Crustless sandwich meant love.

18. You let me go to FBC Plano in high school and be involved there.

19. You let me cover my bedroom walls with coloring pages.

20. You took care of me after my divorce physically and emotionally.

21. You took the time, expense, and energy to come up to CT to see my world TWICE last year.

22. You gave me a neon green and black room, with Marsha's hard work, that I will always remember.

23. You changed my diapers.
                 
24. You developed my taste buds. You exposed me to fruits and veggies and all sorts of new things. I grew into more "exotic" things like wild game and sushi, but the fundamentals started at home with you. Thank you for that.       

25. You've thrown me several surprise events ... after the initial uncomfortable shock is over, it's always fun.

26. You protected me from the outside and let me be a kid as long as I could.

27. You always made me feel pretty.

28. You support my marriage.

29. You wrote me a little green diary about being pregnant with me/being born so I would know how much I was loved.                    

30. You disciplined me when I needed it. You set rules and boundaries.

31. I love cooking with you. Especially for parties or holidays.  I love having a movie or parade on in the background. Standing around in the kitchen. I miss putting on showers and parties with you.

32. You filled GREAT Christmas stockings.  No one can compete with yours!

33. You let me have charge of my hair and let Marsha cut it at a very early age.

34. You still love me. Mistakes, failures, warts and all.            

35. You stood in crazy lines for things like Cabbage Patch dolls because you knew it would make my Christmas morning.                   

36. You never swore around me - growing up or in adulthood.                       

37. You let Mary take me wherever she wanted from the cafeteria after church all the way to California.

38. I have always liked my name. You picked a good one!  (Glad I didn't look like a "Kim".)                    

39. You made sure I was exposed to piano lessons.             

40. You taught me to consider others first ... taught me to think about what the other kids were feeling ... not simply "what was best for me".                    

41. You pretended to eat our "special breakfasts" on Saturday mornings. It wasn't until I was much older that I realized you didn't love our frozen waffles or cinnamon toasts at 7:00 in the morning. And you never complained about the sticky syrup everywhere. (At least I don't remember it.)

42. You survived high school dating. I can't imagine.  I remember you sending Dad to walk by my room almost every 15 minutes it seemed! :)

43. You sat with me and taught me all those questions and answers with the reference verse.  I wish I still had those sheets. The fundamentals.                  

44. You got me braces and got them early ... THANK YOU!

45. You knew that you weren't perfect and knew how to put other people in my life to fill in the gaps. You made room for other people to love me and made room for me to learn from them.

46. You have prayed more prayers for me and the people in my life than I will ever know.

47. Random Memory: You took me for new clothes before I started middle school at the outlet mall and let the sales girl pick me out "cool clothes" ... I still remember that aqua blue outfit with the giant belt and silver buckle ... wish I had a photo of that. I'm sure we couldn't afford it, but you
found a way.

48. You are always someone I can go to and hash things out ... when I have something to work out, I often look to you for sound advice.                   

49. You bought me Lady when I really needed her.                    

50. You made school work important.  You bragged on my reports cards and little accomplishments.

51. You always let me create my own sense of style ... makeup, clothes, jewelry, shoes, whatever.

52. You were always one to apologize if you thought you should.  I think that would be hard as a parent to do, but you always did.                     

53. You let me study with Joyce Hart after school.               

54. You helped me learn long passages like the Christmas story and several Psalms.  I still remember learning Psalms 139 with you.                    

55. I genuinely like you.  I don't "put up with you" or "try to get through a visit".  I like talking to you and love our time together. And I feel like you feel the same.

56. You made Haley and I "girl travel kits" so we wouldn't be scared or bored on the plane.   You always thought of extra things like that.               

57. Not only did you sit through countless recitals and plays and games and performances, you came early to get a good seat right up front.                      

58. You were fun to watch  Ms. America with. I still remember "having to take a nap" and then getting snacks and score sheets and trying to figure out who would win.                   

59. You stayed married.  You gave me a security that our home would always be intact.   

60. You are fun.                    

61. You were always practical .. smart ... wise. I trusted your opinions when I was young and I still do today.                     

62. It wasn't all talk. You were a good example. We watched you do for other people ... be a good friend and a good daughter and sister and more.                     

63. You always seemed to know it took a village to raise a child and you let "the village" raise me.           

64. You bought me a gorgeous dress for dad's birthday, since I didn't have a prom dress. You knew every girl needed a pretty dress like that.                   

65. You always encourage me to do my best. You always think I can do it, or at least you always tell me I can.        

66. You were a good room mother in grade school.                    

67. You taught me to write thank you notes. I still remember sitting at the table writing them as a LITTLE girl.                    

68. I wish I was more like you.  I think that says a lot.                    

69. You navigated me through boyfriends, engagements and marriages.  I'm not sure how you survived it all. I must have driven you crazy.          

70. You taught me to act like a lady.                    

71. It was fun getting to know you as a person and not just a "mom". You are a great person and you have a huge heart.  I'm so fortunate to be your daughter.

72. You make the best taco salad! That's important. :)                   

73. You were not a "get in the middle of your kids business" mom like some of the others.

74. I don't EVER remember you making me think "I would fail" at something. You are an encourager through and through and that's an AWESOME thing to have in a Mom.

75. You made sure I knew both sides of the family and we got to spend time with both sets of grandparents and aunts and uncles.                    

76. I always seemed to have money for spirit ribbons on Friday or book fair in the library in elementary school.  Small things, but important at that age. You always found a way for me to have those extras even with money being tight.                     

77. You took me to the dentist every 6 months whether I wanted to go or not! Dr. Boone.

78. You survived my tantrums, my hormones and my drama ... I'm not sure how, but you did.                            

79. You would always go along with my ideas .. vacation in AZ, dinner across the metroplex, B&B somewhere in TX just to get away for a night.  You were always up for whatever.  

80. You never read my letters to and from Grandmommy. Even as a little girl you respected that relationship and let us have our own.                               

81. You were super involved in the PTA.                   

82. You made me go to John's T-ball and soccer and football games, even when I complained. I'm glad you did.

83. You used to sing with us in the car on road trips. I loved it when you and dad sang Zulu King!            

84. As I've grown, I've watched you grow too. I am so proud that you are my mom.                   

85. You told me my perms looked good.                   

86. You made sure I had what I needed for school from a new lunch box to a "cool" notebook. You always knew how much that stuff mattered when you were little.                     

87. The time I wanted to be a KISS costume for Halloween. We know the story.  I love that memory. You were a great mom that day.

88. I always knew you loved me ... no matter what I did. That's important.

89. You let me drive to Stephenville or Rochelle whenever I wanted.

90. You weren't a "cool" mom.  You were strict and tough and even mean sometimes ... at least that's what I thought. I'm so glad you were!                    

91. You used to give John and I "treat" bags to keep us busy on the LONG drives to Grandmommy's. I still love Colorforms & monkeys in a barrel.                           

92. You taught me that staying home from school because you were sick wasn't a vacation day.  Something I value to this day. (I'm sure my employers have too!) Thank you.               

93. You were fair.                    

94. You pierced my ears after the awful haircut, so people would stop calling me a boy.                    

95. You made sure I had Esprit shirts or Guess jeans or whatever the fad was. Even if they were second hand.  You always try to help me fit in as best you could.

96. You let me go to AIM at the middle school (must have been scary for you).

97. There's no one I'd rather watch Steel Magnolias with.                   

98. You played tapes in the car when I was "trapped".

99. You read this silly blog every day.

100.  You use your obsessive compulsion for good not evil ... And I benefit from this!  I have a the old Mario game and Wii Fit, Original Dr. Pepper and so much more to prove it! :)

101. You baked with me in the Easy Bake Oven.  I still remember those little pink packets of mix.

102. You made us stand out in the front yard and take photos before Easter.  I HATED it.  But nothing makes me laugh harder now.  You preserved those memories for us.

103. I felt safe at home growing up.  I think that's invaluable to a child. You fiercely protected us.

104. You helped me through so many "girl" times like only a good mother can ... first bras, first dates ... etc. You always just knew what to do or say.

105. You were there when things were tough at school. It must have broken your heart. You helped me get through the heartaches of growing up.

106. I LOVE the movie Spanglish. So much in that movie that reminds me of us. Mothers and daughters and the deep and complicated relationship that it is. It's hard and fun and sad and tense and joyful and just flat out complicated. I'm glad I get to go through all that with you. "Worrying about your kids is sanity, and being that sane... can drive you nuts."


107. You loved us before we were even born.

108. Being a stay-at-home-mom was always a career to you. It was work. It was something you were proud of and put a lot of effort in.  You raised me to see the value in that.  To know the hard work that mothers put in day in and day out. To appreciate it.

109. Random Memory: my Christmas slide bracelet.  I still have it. I still love it.  I still cherish that memory.

110. You constantly do the work to be a better person and that in turn makes you a better everything else ... including a mom. I am truly aware of how good my childhood was because of how much work and effort that you put into being a mother.  You were so much more than a care taker ... you were a teacher and a guide. You weren't just good "until I was in my teens" or "not until I was in my teens" ... you changed and grew with me and your mothering skills changed and grew depending on where I was in life. You are still doing that. Thank you for doing the hard work, not just the easy or the obvious.  My life is so much better for it.

I hope you have a Happy Mother's Day!  I wish I could be there with you. I love you so much and I'm looking forward to my next trip out.  LOVE YOU!