Motherhood
Aug. 22nd, 2004 11:04 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
puppetmakerTwo contrasting news stories.
In one a mother has to deal with the death of her 3 year old who choked to death on a piece of popcorn. Both the mother and the father tried to dislodge the piece of popcorn but it was too late. They are in a homeless shelter and had gotten enough money together to take their family (Mom, Dad, and two sons) to see Alien vs. Predator. They miss their little boy who was a light in their lives
In the other a mother is sentenced to probation having killed her child by leaving her strapped into a car seat in a car out in the sun while the mother went to work. The car interior temperature reached over 120 degrees. The mother claims that she "forgot" that the child was in the back seat. The child had downs syndrome. She says that she will never forget the visuals pictures of the scratches on her child as her child tried to claw her way out of the hot car. I hope she never does forget what she did to another human being.
It seems that unless it is Mother's Day you only hear about tragedy of motherhood. You hear about the mothers that kill their kids or the mothers who children die tragically. There are a lot of good mothers out there. They take care of their children and home. They deal with adversity in their lives. I heard a long time ago that mothers were the unsung heroes of the world. I have to agree. So lets write and hear about those unsung heroes that take care of their children. There are a number of them on LJ who go above and beyond to take care of their kids. And if you are a mom, hug your kids. They grow up so fast and you never know what is around the next corner.
In one a mother has to deal with the death of her 3 year old who choked to death on a piece of popcorn. Both the mother and the father tried to dislodge the piece of popcorn but it was too late. They are in a homeless shelter and had gotten enough money together to take their family (Mom, Dad, and two sons) to see Alien vs. Predator. They miss their little boy who was a light in their lives
In the other a mother is sentenced to probation having killed her child by leaving her strapped into a car seat in a car out in the sun while the mother went to work. The car interior temperature reached over 120 degrees. The mother claims that she "forgot" that the child was in the back seat. The child had downs syndrome. She says that she will never forget the visuals pictures of the scratches on her child as her child tried to claw her way out of the hot car. I hope she never does forget what she did to another human being.
It seems that unless it is Mother's Day you only hear about tragedy of motherhood. You hear about the mothers that kill their kids or the mothers who children die tragically. There are a lot of good mothers out there. They take care of their children and home. They deal with adversity in their lives. I heard a long time ago that mothers were the unsung heroes of the world. I have to agree. So lets write and hear about those unsung heroes that take care of their children. There are a number of them on LJ who go above and beyond to take care of their kids. And if you are a mom, hug your kids. They grow up so fast and you never know what is around the next corner.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
JUST a Mother...Yep that's me!
Date: 2004-08-22 10:45 pm (UTC)I hate the phrase "I'm JUST a ________________." As if being a mother or a parent is not worthy of the same praise and acknowledgement being a doctor or lawyer is. For those of us who have chosen to be full time mothers or fathers....who put our own careers and dreams on the "backburner" to raise children in what we feel is the best manner possible...we wind up feeling like second class citizens.
My own mother in law...when introducing me, explains that I'm her son's wife, "This is Amy, Jeremy's wife, she's just a stay at home mom"...and then goes on to gush about HIS job like it's his all that defines him as a human being. He's a father too...actually he's a father first...he's put his own career advancement (because it would take 2x as much effort to actually advance in his field) in second place to be available as a parent. We don't have a lot of stuff...we don't take fancy vacations...and we don't define ourselves based on what we do or don't do.
I AM a mother. I AM a parent.
And I am proud to be JUST a mom. Until a such a time comes to be (if ever it could even be possible) that being a exceptional (or even a decent) parent is something that people are proud of and something that people enjoy hearing about...well, it will always be overshadowed by tragic parenting and acts of cruelty that are unfathomable to human sensibilities. Until people are interested in and fascinated by the activities that create good, inquisitive, little human beings and less captivated by the horrors or mom's who drown their children, "leave" them in cars...and fathers who kill their wives and children for no apparent reason...then being a mom and/or a parent will always be a second class activity...something you squeeze in between your job, traveling, hobbies, watching TV and socializing.
For me, I AM a mother, that IS my job and I am willing to give up all those other "perks" of being a human being to ensure that I do the best job possible. Do I miss the extra income or the freedom we had to do whatever we wanted before we were parents? HELL YES...but this is more rewarding and more fulfilling than I can ever explain!!
Off to hug my kids...because your right, they ARE growing up so very fast!!
Peace,
Kamyra