For Mother’s Day, and in no particular order, some of the things I’ve learned in the last decade or so:

1. Crispy brownish two-day-old roses from a teenager  are really, really pretty.
2. Telling a 10 year old you like chocolate means a chocolate bar from the corner store for your birthday.
3. If you tell a 5 year old it’s not going to rain today and then it does, you’ve “lied”.
4. It really is possible to be in more than one place at the same time – as long as you have good friends and neighbours.
5. Teenage boys don’t understand that not “needing” a birthday present  is not the same as “wanting” a birthday present.
6. You can teach them to drive
7. My own mum is  a pretty cool mum!
8. On the day before birthdays and other celebrations you can expect to have to drive kids  to the mall, and close your ears on the way home.
9. It’s really, really hard. But it’s also really, really rewarding.
10. Chore lists are your best friend
11. Kids are incredibly resilient
12. You can fix home appliances
13. Kids really can cook dinners on a regular basis for you – as long as you have “reasonable” expectations
14. 24/7/365 single parenting is exhausting and you’ll count down the years, and then the days until they’ll go to camp at the same time.
15. The silence when they to is deafening.
16. Watching them grow into confident, competent young adults makes your heart burst with pride.
17. If you’re completely exhausted and don’t know how you’re going to keep giving this much of yourself day after day you’re probably a good parent. (Bunmi Laditan)

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