Momma Mia?

For this Mother's Day I'd like to state for the record "I am not my mother!" We all have that fear. Well those of us who are of the mother gender type. If you are a guy and fear becoming your mother you might want to invest in a little therapy. Otherwise there will be a Movie of the Week with your name on it.

I didn't fear becoming my mother until I had kids and started experiencing the insanity kids can bring out in the formerly very sane. I used to be sane. The realization of this fear arrives the day your kids frustrate the crap out of you and you suddenly hear your mothers voice and words coming out of your mouth! I believe I looked around the room to see if she was there. I looked again to make sure no one noticed because *that* was never going to happen again. Okay well not until the next overwhelmingly frustrating moment.

My younger daughter taught me to let go of my frustration. Not on purpose mind you, but she taught me a valid lesson. I just took a while to learn it! I spent many years convinced I had done something in a past life and this was kharma coming to bite me in my reincarnated butt. What I learned the hard way is that we, as parents are really not in control. Not like we like to think we are. It's nature versus nurture and I am on nature's side. Mother nature, the ultimate Mom knows what she's doing.

My daughter was going to be a wild child who became an almost responsible adult and it had almost nothing to do with what I did and did not do for her. My other daughter was never going to be kamikaze wild even if I totally ignored her. Once I accepted each of them for who they were a lot of the frustration left. Well most of it left. A sink full of dirty dishes can still bring it out in me! I'm only human.

The best advice I can give to any young mother out there is that all you can do is love them and if you can live through it you will get to the day where they actually thank you! Of course that doesn't mean they want to be you any more than I want to be my Mom. But hey, you take what you can get!