Mom’s in a Nutshell

Mother’s Day was yesterday and because of that I want to send a shout out to all the mothers that are in the trenches trying their very best. Now when I say mothers, I am also talking about the non-traditional ones too: the aunts, the grandmas, the step-moms, and foster mommas. We are a team all wanting the same outcome: kids that grow up to be happy, functional adults, but because we want this, we have to go through the battles of life with our kids.

When our kids were little it was all about having them eat their food, take naps and finding enriching activities for them to do. When I was working at the church we would have MOPs group that would meet on a regular basis and when they were not meeting they would schedule “play dates” for their kids. Social media shows mommas making sure their kids do chores with the family while also having fun. Little kids have the ability to show you a side of the world that is bright and wonderful and full of interesting things like….rocks, lol. Little kids have their own set of worries as well but they don’t seem as big as when they get older. They have an innocence about them, they trust their parents and their view on the world is really what is in front of them at the moment. This is why it is so fun to have them experience new things because their joy is exponentially more for their parents. When I look back on when my kids were little their view on life was so much easier.

When our kids grow a little older (which some days I wish I could have slowed down), the world gets into the picture. Social media plays a huge part in their lives. Not here to bash on social media since it has it’s place, but when it is too much of a part of our teens lives it can be detrimental. Teens and pre-teens are a league of their own. Mommas who are this stage are holding on for dear life to the safety harness the roller coaster offers. If you have ever been on a roller coaster you know the anticipation that comes when waiting in line. People all around you are talking about how fun it is, but there are certain parts that really made them nervous. They will tell you about the one section of the track where your seat feels like it falls out from under you and then the rides shoots you into a upside down loop. They tell you their favorites spots and the parts they hated. The thing is they, are willing to go on it the ride again. This is the life of a mom of teens/pre-teens. This is the only way I can think to describe it. A roller coaster. They are rides that are worth the wait, that seem terrifying and fun all in one and seem to always be done in seconds. Mommas who are still in line, or in the midst of the ride, or who have just stepped of the ride to just get back in line again: I salute you, and I am in line with you.

I have heard that teens/pre-teens do grow older. I know it’s true because somehow I did. I am not in that mom stage yet but I have heard, this is the stage in which your kids realize that mom (and dad) have some knowledge. That they can be fun. That when life gets tough, they are still there for you. When life is fun they are there for you too. When I called my momma yesterday to wish her a Happy Mother’s Day I had to leave a message. She called a couple of hours later wondering if any of her kids were going to call. We talked for a little bit, and it’s in those moments that I realize she is a champion, a survivor and most of all she did a great job as a mom. She is in the grandma stage of her life. She knows how it feels to be in the stages of life her kids are in right now. She made it! Because of her and her willingness to raise us with a faith in Christ, with a yearning to enjoy the world around us, and to take responsibility for our actions, she now has kids who are trying to raise their kids in the same way.

So I want to say thanks to mom, but also thanks to all the momma’s who are “waiting in line for the ride” and for those mommas who haven’t made it to the line yet. We are all out here trying our best with raising our kids. For all those out their who support and love on the mommas while they are in this time, they feel it and appreciate it, I know I do!! Until next time:

Be so fiercely you that you inspire others to be themselves too.

Samira Vivette

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