The Role of a Mother

Happy Mother's Day!

I wake up with the kids laughing and playing at 5:00 a.m.! Wait a minute, this isn’t supposed to happen till 7:00 in the morning, not 5:00 a.m.!

And so it begins: "Pick up your toys. Clean your room. Put your dirty clothes in the laundry basket. Do your chores. Tell your sister you’re sorry. Go to sleep. Brush your hair in the back where there’s clearly a rat's nest developing." Sound familiar? As mothers, we have to keep order in the house, and that’s not even half of what we do.

Two of the main functions of the mother in the typical American family is to bring unity and structure to the family unit. The mother plays multiple roles in the household. When the children are asleep or at school, she can focus on household chores, cleaning or running errands such as paying bills and grocery shopping. Even when the mother works outside of the home, she still comes home to her first job - being a mother.

Families are not always easy. Unity and structure can be lofty goals in some cases. Some families are biological, foster, blended and some are made up of a single-parent household. Being a single mom myself, and a mother of a blended family, I faced a slew of difficult situations. However, I always knew where to go to get the answers needed to fulfill my roles in nurturing, guidance and family growth. I went directly to God. He is the one that, to this day, helps guide me in making the right decisions. My first and foremost role is to lean on Him, and He will be there for me as a mother.

I have wonderful grown stepchildren now, and I couldn’t be more proud of who they’ve become and how they are raising their children. I pray that I can continue as their mother to give guidance and encouragement when needed. I will always have a mother's, heart; it's part of who I am - that will not change.

My advice and prayer for mothers? Seek God! Encourage your children, and always be there for them. Communication, prayer, and showcasing your children’s talents, skills and traditions in everyday life are the best ways for a mother to pass along a legacy of herself to her children.

Proverbs 31:28 - Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her.

Proverbs 22:6 - Train up a child in the way he should go. Even when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Psalm 127:3 - Behold, children are a gift of the Lord. The fruit of the womb is a reward.