Stepping Up My Game

In The Family: A Proclamation to the World, it states the "mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children". I've thought a lot about this responsibility over the years. It means more than just feeding kids, keeping them clean, and driving them to soccer practice. I've wondered what it looks like to nurture my kids spiritually, emotionally, physically, and mentally. The depth of our role as mothers is is endless!

I would say that over the years I've succeeded in many ways, and thankfully as a mother there are many ways to succeed! But recently I've been feeling that my influential years are dwindling, and I decided to revisit what it means to really nurture my children, now teenagers.

I brainstormed all that I want my girls to know, and what skills I want them to develop, before leaving home - spiritually, emotionally, physically and mentally/intellectually. I'm sure I'll add to this list over time, but this was a good exercise to see what could use a little fine-tuning and what needed serious attention.

Next I tried to think how I could incorporate this knowledge and skill-set into what we are already doing, because I know from experience that adding a bunch of stuff to an already busy week just isn't going to happen. Even still, this will require commitment, persistence, patience, and a lot of getting back in the saddle on my part! But motherhood is my full-time job! This is really about how consecrated I am in this role. So, I'm stepping up my game. (Please NOTE: this is my version of stepping up my game. There are many ways to be a good mother and nurture children to their potential. The project manager in me wants something concrete to work on.)

Let me confess at the outset that I LOVE coming up with all of these ideas, charts and systems. The carrying them out part, on the other hand, is not my strong point! Once established I sort of expect 100% buy-in and cooperation from my kids. I did when they were wee too. I don't mean to, I just sort of subconsciously do. Obviously that's not how it works. I have learned through long, frustrating experience that I have to accept that growth is a process. My kids won't leave home perfect, but hopefully they'll leave home with a little experience for the life they'll live ahead under their belts. So progress. That is what I'm going for.