Trophy Mom

Balancing Act

If Forbes had a 'Top 20 Best Mothers' list, would you make the cut? Guess it depends on the criteria. I think a capable mother requires basic skills such as being loving, compassionate and patient (that's the tough one; better known as an 'acquired' skill). But being a dedicated mom isn't that simple. Like everything else in life, there needs to be balance.
I never really thought 'balance' was a necessary maternal skill, until I was meditating. As I focused on the balance between giving and  receiving, I suddenly tapped into my inner child. It was then that I discovered that being a great mom not only requires a long list of qualifications, but it also takes balance.
On one side of the seesaw you have Logistics, while on the other side, you have Self Esteem.  We'll call Logistics the 'Personal Assistant'.  As the PA, we're the masterminds behind our child's schedule. We organize appointments, coordinate naps and feedings, manage their activities accordingly. The Self-Esteem, can be called the 'Spiritual Guru'. The SG nourishes our child with love, appreciation, understanding and patience. Now, do you think you're a balanced mom or do you teeter slightly more to one side?
I provide my kids with all the unconditional love imaginable (like any honorable mother), yet there are times when I seem to focus more on logistics than play. In the end, our kids appreciate that their schedule is well managed. You may not realize it, but this gives them a sense of security. It's also rewarding to know that we've organized our child's entire day without a hitch. But is that enough? What our kids would much rather prefer is having a mom that's present, providing attention and appreciation for all the silly, scary, unimaginable things they do.
Being a mother is by far the toughest job in the world, with the least amount of recognition. On days when I feel overwhelmed as one child is pulling on my sweater, while the other is screaming for attention, I turn to the Universe for support. Those are the days when Forbes wouldn't be calling to say I made the 'Top 20' cut. Then, an AH-HA moment is realized as my 3 year old shares a touching comment like, "Thank you Mommy for making me play extra long tonight". That's a mom moment that doesn't require any media attention to know its value. Find the right balance between PA and SG that works for you. Keep in mind that in giving our hearts to our children, we'll in turn be receiving many more AH-HA moments then expected. Now, that's what makes a Trophy Mom.