Interview with My Mother for Mother’s Day
Inspired by my girl Lyz. Don’t read her? You’re crazy.
I’m also over at Blessed is She today talking about firing up your love neurons and overcoming my tendency to judge & loathe rather than love. True stories.
How much do you like being a mother?
Well, it’s a little late to switch occupations.
What the biggest surprise when you first became a mother?
How overwhelming it was. The responsibilities and the love.
Do you have a favorite child?
No. Everyone was my favorite for their age.
Did you have a favorite age of child?
Truly. This is true to me: every age had its negatives and positives. I think the positives always were so much farther ahead than the negatives.
This is a really boring interview.
I’m not a jokester. I’m not a Jon Stewart. You’re not gonna get some clever little phrase from me. But you’re clever and you can take and twist any of my statements into some “haha hohoh heheh” thing.
Was it different raising your son versus your daughters?
Definitely.
Girls love to talk. Boys don’t want to be talked at//to//with. They just want to be left alone. The girls all wanted to talk and visit and share all their ideas and just have a cuppa hot cocoa and chit chat.
“Did you hear that, Peter?” “Are you done with your lecture now? I wanna go play.” Too many words!
They’re both wonderful.
Was it hard when your mom died and you were still raising small kids?
I miss my mother. I miss her to this day. As far as Mother’s Day, it’s a made-up holiday by Hallmark. Everyday is my day with my children that I get to receive and give love. I don’t care about Mother’s Day. I couldn’t care less.
So if your children didn’t do anything for you on Mother’s Day, you wouldn’t care?
I couldn’t care less. I would like to hear from them to say hello! I love to hear what’s going on in their lives and what’s important to them.
Whom do you talk to you most on the phone?
I don’t really talk on the phone very often.
Really? You’re on the phone all the time.
I don’t like to do it.
So who’s your favorite child to talk to on the phone?
I don’t call you on the phone or Katie when I’m living in Saint Paul, so you two aren’t my favorite.
So who’s your favorite child to email?
If it’s a big lecture, I like to email my son. But then it takes too long and I’m a bad speller so I’d rather talk to him and lecture him on the phone. I like to lecture my children and I like when they pretend to listen to me. It makes me feel good like they find my wisdom important. But that’s a pack of lies and I don’t mind.
If you could give mothers today any advice, what would it be?
Lighten up. It’s not as important as you think it is.
What’s the antecedent for “it”?
Whatever you’re not lightening up about. Pick your hills to die on. They’re far and few between. Stop being such a helicopter parent. What’s that new term for parenting? You do it!! What’s that called? Attachment parenting. Stop attaching. Let the poor kid alone and go on his bike instead hovering over him. All of you. Oh my gosh. What happened to common sense!
Do you have anything positive to say?
God just blessed me so much. I have the best kids in the whole wide world. I’m the luckiest mom and grandma in the entire universe. THE END.
Thanks, Mom.
I love this. I wish you would post more about your mother and her wisdom.
I am dying laughing! Ok I am nursing the baby right now so trying not to laugh too hard, but I absolutely love this. Your mom is so wise and honest. This makes me want to interview mine. Thank you for putting a smile on my face for start Mother’s Day!!
Don’t you love her attacks on attachment parenting? She’s all about it with infants but thinks these big kids need their wings. (no, never, ever letting go). I want to hear yours interviewed!!
What a great interview. I love the candidness that your mother has, and I really needed to hear some of her wisdom.
My mom would have some serious censorship bars and symbols in her interview. 😉
HAHAHA love it.
“Lighten up. It’s not as important as you think it is.” NAILED IT.
TOTES.
Oh, I loved his so much! Your mom sounds fabulous and I just wanted to pour a cup of coffee and keep chatting with her 🙂
I feel the same as she does about Mother’s Day. It has never been such a big deal to me because I feel the import of what I do most days and loved by my kiddos and husband every day. Mother’s Day has always seemed unnecessary in a way to me.
HOWEVER – this was my favorite Mother’s Day post I’ve read so far! Thanks for
writing it Nell and Nell’s mom!
She is SO fabulous.!!
Oh my God. What a simple wisdom. I love her reflection on not caring about the Mother’s day, attachment parenting, common sense and specially lightening up. It’s my favorite when people with wisdom and experience speak directly out of their hearts. The best mother’s day piece I’ve (ever) read! Nicely done, Nell
She is so to the point–and always very common sense driven. And always honest with her kids (hence the AP talk hahaha)
We could all learn a lot from your mother!! Thanks for sharing this 🙂
SO glad you enjoyed it. She is a riot!
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Your Mum is ACE!!!!!
“Stop attaching. Let the poor kid alone and go on his bike instead hovering over him.”
So so good.