Joys of motherhood 

The job requirements for motherhood might read:

•No formal degree or prior experience required

•Salary and hours are absolutely non-negotiable

•No paid benefits

•Lifelong tenure

Yet, millions of women hold this job.

As moms, we sacrifice our waistlines, sleep, the backseat of our cars, and years of peace and quiet. Is there a reward? Will we make these sacrifices regardless...you bet.

It's fair to say that we enter motherhood with a set of beliefs or expectations about what it means to be a good mother. These beliefs may be shaped by our childhood experiences, our families and friends' expectations, and cultural messages.

Celebrate your uniqueness

Every mom is different, and every child is unique. What matters most is that we love our children and that we do our best to raise them to be happy, healthy, and able to make good choices for themselves even if that means they fail.

In fact, failure is a valuable learning experience. When they fail, they'll learn how to cope with disappointment, how to persevere, and how to learn from their mistakes. They also learn that making mistakes happens to us all and that everyone fails sometimes.

The best we can do is

Teach them that they will grow through the pain they thought they couldn't bear, rising and falling through loss. They will learn and become more present and more aware.

The reward

As moms, we give of ourselves over and over, again and again. But this giving is a gift, and the rewards outweigh anything else life offers.

Watching our children grow, learn, become independent, and knowing that we've played a part in their development is indeed one of the greatest joys of motherhood.

Being a good mom isn't being a perfect mom. It's about consistency, loving unconditionally, practicing forgiveness, and being authentically who we are...great moms!

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms, aunts, grandmothers, and all those who support moms. We need you!