09 May Mothers and Motherhood

May is the month set aside to honor and celebrate Mothers. The acknowledgment is for the mother who raised us as well as being acknowledged by those we are mothers to.

Many have been brought up in nurturing, loving homes and provide the same for their children.

However, some women have had a painful journey, brought about by neglect or abuse suffered while growing up. The role modeling one had as a child can leave one struggling on how to do better for one’s own children. It takes courage to look at this and strive to learn better parenting skills. In life, as women, we have two chances at motherhood. One being the mother or mother figure who raised us and the other the type of mother we decide to become.  

Should you find yourself in the second category it can leave you feeling fearful, angry, confused, hurt, guilty, over whelmed or a combination of the above. These feelings may present themselves in confusion, aggression, anger, and rejection, which in turn can lead to abuse towards your child or even yourself.

There is hope! There are many resources one can tap into.

There are numerous organizations and therapies which can greatly help both the child and parent. You can reach out to your pastor, a school counselor, to your doctor, as well as health service agencies.  Holistic Health Calgary offers treatments which have been proven to be extremely effective.

The first thing is to acknowledge when one needs support and then seek out those who can help you and your family.

In regard to those who have had a mother who was unable to provide you with what you needed as a child, remember that they too likely lacked the role modeling in their early life to know how to meet your needs. They too likely suffered. Try and find it in your heart to see them as the innocent child they once were and forgive them. This is for your peace and healing, not theirs.

We all carry regrets after the fact, often wishing we had done things differently. My advice is to be kind to yourself and strive to do the best you can do with the knowledge you have in the moment. Take personal responsibility for your words and actions.  Be open to learning new ways. Forgive yourself for where you feel that you have failed. Realize that we are all human and we all make mistakes. The important thing is to learn from them.

I wish all mothers a blessed mother’s day!
May you have gratitude for the wonderful gift of motherhood!

PS. Please feel free to leave a comment below or contact me.