My wonderful mom is turning 72 this month! In honor of her birthday, here are 10 things my mother taught me.
10 Things My Mother Taught Me
1. Have consideration for others… siblings, store clerks, those next to you on the bus, the garbage collector… Everyone is one of God’s created beings and as such deserves respect. No exceptions.
2. Keep a clean house. Keep it, as my mother’s mother said, “Clean enough to be healthy, and dirty enough to be happy.” We got to make messes… but we were required to clean them up. She wasn’t uptight about housework, but had a weekly routine of dusting, vacuuming, and cleaning the bathrooms. That, combined with putting things in their place, made our home clean yet comfortable.
3. Get dinner on the table. She was great at that! Dinners were simple, but regular. Every night at 6:00, we could expect a well-rounded meal.
4. Practice forgiveness. My mom is a great example of one who does not hold grudges.
5. Don’t worry; be happy. I’m sure my mom could have written that song. Her life has had several major challenges which got her down. But she always bounces back with her sunny outlook. Yet another one of the things my mother taught me.
6. Cherish happy memories. Her parents both passed away at relatively early ages. But her special memories live on, and she shares them regularly so I can know and delight in my grandparents, too.
7. Make holidays special, even when you don’t have much money. It doesn’t take much money to dye pancake batter green for St. Patrick’s Day or bake heart-shaped sugar cookies for Valentine’s Day. It does take effort, and my mom put hers into remembering even the “little” holidays to make our childhood sweet and special.
8. Laugh at yourself. My mom does this regularly, and has us laughing at her funny stories! At 72, my mom is still pretty healthy… and she laughs and is merry often.
“A merry heart does good, like medicine.”
(Proverbs 17:22)
9. Love thy neighbor as thyself. When I was five, a very young couple moved in across the street from us. Other more established neighbors may have turned up their noses, but my mom marched right over and introduced herself, taking this young wife under her wing as an older woman mentoring a younger. Their friendship continued, and one day, several years later, this friend was the one to love us with two full bags of groceries delivered to our door at a time when finances were exceptionally tight.
10. Judge not. She doesn’t judge others or hold them to an impossibly high standard. My mom just enjoys people for who they are, which is why she is loved so much by her children and grandchildren.
Happy Birthday, Mom! I love you!
More Fun Ideas for Celebrating the Homeschool Mom
Kim (aka Daisy Muse) is a former elementary school teacher, textbook author and editor, and seventeen-year homeschool veteran. She currently tutors and teaches middle and high school students at a homeschool academic center. You can find more of her musings at thedaisymuse.com.
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first published April 2013
What wonderful lessons for all of us and what a wonderful mother you have.
Thank you for sharing these lessons from your Mom, she sounds wonderful. You have honored her well. Happy Birthday to her!