Mommy Tell Me

PART ONE Mommy, tell me . . . Of all the questions children ask their mommies, there is one hardly ever asked: “Mommy, would you tell me about your life?” That is because Moms work so hard to bring up their children as best they can, that they have little time for telling stories about themselves. They are much more interested in knowing what is happening in your life: Important things like: “Are you safe?” “Are you well?” Yes, even “Did you do your homework?” They want to know these things because your answers to their questions may tell them how they can help you better. Sometimes, knowing the answers might even help them protect you from harm. However, because Mommy does not talk much about her own life you may learn not to ask her about it either. Sure, once in awhile she might say something like “When I was little, I had to do this or that”, but it’s usually just a way to let you know about something you are doing. I imagine she tells you very little about what really matters in her life; other than of course, that you matter . . . very much! Did you know that your Mom may be the most interesting and exciting person you will ever know? She may be fi lled with secrets, adventures, and lots of fun stuff . You think not? How much do you really know about her? 3 I will tell you a secret: I am a Mommy and I did not tell my son, a top notch pilot who flies very fast airplanes, that I too learned to fl y airplanes when I was young. When he was a teen and told me about his plans to take fl ying lessons, I listened happily and encouraged him to feel proud of what he was doing. Yet, even though there were things I might have been able to teach him, it never occurred to me that he would be interested in knowing those things from me. Much later, when he did find out, he was plenty surprised! Speaking of teaching, did you know that you and your Mom teach each other? When you were born, before the end of your fi rst day of your life, you already knew her scent (that is a nice way of saying how she smells), and you could pick her out from all the other new Mommies! When you were hungry, you simply followed her scent to know where to go for food. Do you know why? It is because, one way or another, Mommies will always find a way to feed their babies. You actually taught your Mommy what you needed even though you did not say a word. You let her know by the kinds of sounds you made and by the expressions you put on your face. Expressions are things like smiles or frowns or the way you pucker up for a kiss. Yes, when you were a baby, it was your sounds and your expressions that taught Mommy when you were hungry, wet, or even sleepy. You also taught her whether you were mad, sad, or glad. What do you think is the expression Mommies love to see the most? For me, it is a smile. That tells me when my child is happy. It also lets me know I am doing something right. Have you asked your Mommy which one of your expressions she likes the best? Of course, not all Mommies teach their children in the same way. That is because Mommies teach life lessons the way life was taught to them. Some yell a lot whether they are mad and even when they are happy, while others may never yell at all. Like I said, they usually teach you the way their Mommies taught them when they were growing up. Sometimes we may not like the way our Mommies teach us, however, it is important to always remember one thing: