Many people have had the wonderful experience of growing up with a loving mother, and if you did, too, it was all too easy to get used to seeing your mom ace her role. What your mom did shaped your world as you grew up, but since you probably kind of assumed that’s just how things were supposed to be, you never gave it a lot of thought.
It’s easy to miss all the hard work your mom put into raising the family when you’re busy with school, running around with friends and enjoying your summers. Despite the mostly smooth sailing of your childhood, moms have plenty of struggles that they often keep to themselves, yours included.
Read on to discover 11 struggles only mothers face and fully understand…
1. She Was Always Walking A Tightrope
A mom just wants her children to be happy. She wants to have fun with them and talk about different things. But, since her primary role is to make sure you become a good person, with a decent value system, developed skill base and healthy habits, she sometimes has to be the teacher and disciplinarian rather than a friend. This requires moms to walk the fine line between parent and friend, something that isn’t always so easy and will take practice.
2. She Shared Your Pain, Joy And Fear
Your mom experienced a whirlwind of emotions, right from the first day she found out she was having you. She was probably in tears, excited and confused all at once, and went through mood swings like you wouldn’t believe.
After you were born and grew, she spent countless days and nights worrying about you when you were sick or hurt and crying, when you were sad or something bad happened to you. She also felt and shared your joy and happiness when you succeeded or something good happened to you.
While maybe you’ve seen some of this or your mom has told you stories about it, you will never know the very depth of how much she feels for you and what she’s sacrificed. When you become pregnant yourself or your partner does, take the time to appreciate these experiences as they are and in relation to your own mom.
3. She Went From Average Person To Guardian
Most moms start out like a typical woman, not scanning the entire world for danger at all times. But once their first child is born, they go into superhero mode, checking out every new situation for signs of danger.
Within minutes, they can assess the dangers in any situation, from strangers or broken glass on the playground to a steep drop off and too-short fence in a park. This is not something they learn by watching videos or reading books, but a natural mental shift geared toward protecting their children.
4. She Accepted You Would See Advice As Nagging
Moms need to bestow some very serious life lessons on their children. But all the wisdom and knowledge your mom picked up throughout her life and her developed common sense probably wasn’t always welcomed by you.
That’s not unusual—most kids will complain, fuss and make the entire process difficult. In spite of this, moms will keep on “nagging” until the child has fully understood the lesson and begin to develop the right habits. In short, your mom made peace with being seen as the “bad” guy as long as it meant that you would grow up right.
5. She Memorized Your Favorite Cartoons And Children’s Shows
One of the biggest sources of simple joy for a child is finding that show that is perfect in every way. With streaming services, digital recorders and the Internet, it’s even easier these days for kids to find and repeatedly watch their new favorite show.
For mom, it can be quite frustrating to hear the same thing over and over again, but many simply grin and bear it, even singing along with or reciting lines right along with their little one.
6. She Made The Tough Calls
Remember when you got that new winter jacket you needed or the new toy you really wanted despite the fact that times were tough? Chances are, you mom had to juggle things around to balance the family bank account for you to have those things.
Moms work hard to keep the home budget balanced while feeding, clothing and entertaining their kids, and you probably never saw all the work she put into making that happen.
7. She Made An Effort To Keep Up
Your mom wanted to be your go-to person for help, but that also meant she had to work hard to keep up with your generation. She had to have some sort of understanding of your generation’s culture in order to relate when you talked to her, which meant research on the side and a healthy dose of patience!
8. She Kept The Lid On Family Secrets
If your childhood was fun and relaxed in general, you probably owe your mom a big thanks. All families have some issues and feuds or even skeletons in the closet, but part of a mom’s job is to make sure she acts as a buffer between these dark clouds and her children.
9. She Worked Hard To Support And Motivate You
When you’re even just a little down, your mom will work to lift up your spirits. Maybe she put little notes in your lunchbox for school or gave you a little pep talk when you needed it the most. Sometimes, it probably seemed overbearing, but your mom was really trying to gauge y
our mood so she was always there and ready to
give you support when you needed it.
10. She Made Sure You Were Clean And Presentable
Most kids just toss on clothes as fast as possible and take off to play. Every day, there is magically new clothes that are clean, fresh and fit right, so there’s no need for kids to put too much thought into where those clothes came from.
It was your mom who made sure you had clean clothes that fit correctly each and every day, and who shopped, washed, dried and folded so that you could go out into the world looking presentable.
11. She Would Set Aside Valuable Time For You
Whether she had an outside job or stayed at home, your mom worked hard to take care of her family. At the end of the day, even if your mom was exhausted from working all day and dealing with little issues that constantly popped up, she still took the time to listen to your problems.
As trivial and small as your issues may have been when compared to adult problems, your mom still gave you her full attention.
A mother works hard to make sure her children have a good life. Make sure you cut yours some slack sometimes, and don’t forget to acknowledge all the struggles she faced when raising you as you raise children of your own!
