For Mother’s Day, and in no particular order, some of the things I’ve learned in the last decade or so:
- Crispy brownish two-day-old roses from a teenager are really, really pretty.
- Telling a 10 year old you like chocolate means a chocolate bar from the corner store for your birthday.
- If you tell a 5 year old it’s not going to rain today and then it does, you’ve “lied”.
- It really is possible to be in more than one place at the same time – as long as you have good friends and neighbours.
- Teenage boys don’t understand that not “needing” a birthday present is not the same as “wanting” a birthday present.
- You can teach them to drive
- My own mum is a pretty cool mum!
- 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.
- It’s really, really hard. But it’s also really, really rewarding.
- Chore lists are your best friend
- Kids are incredibly resilient
- You can fix home appliances
- Kids really can cook dinners on a regular basis for you – as long as you have “reasonable” expectations
- 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.
- The silence when they to is deafening.
- Watching them grow into confident, competent young adults makes your heart burst with pride.
- 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)
