Being a mother is often a thankless job. Ironically, as thankless and stressful as it may be, it is equally rewarding… To add to our challenges, we all take on countless other roles in our daily lives, often going above and beyond the call of duty as wives, teachers, referees, handy “(wo)men”, comforters, mentors, career women, plumbers, nurses, and other roles that are more difficult to identify. The one thing about a good mother is that above ALL else, she’s first and foremost “Mom” and there is nothing that role takes the backburner for.
Aquafresh is committed to lending moms a hand by supplying them with products (such as the amazing iso-active Whitening toothpaste, that achieves 33% better whitening compared to a non-whitening toothpaste) and as an Aquafresh Ambassador Mom, I would love to give YOU the opportunity to share what makes you “work beyond.” Aquafresh wants to hear about these moments and celebrate you as mom through their Mom Goes Beyond campaign.
GIVEAWAY CONTEST
To participate, leave a comment about an inspiring or memorable moment you’ve experienced as a result of being a mom! On June 9th, I will nominate one of the commenters to become Aquafresh’s grand prize winner. The Aquafresh creative team will choose the winner by July 7th who will receive one year’s worth of free Aquafresh product** and a $500 shopping spree*** as well as the honor of having her story showcased on the Aquafresh Facebook fan page!
On June 15th, I will close the comments on this entry and select two readers to receive gifts from Aquafresh… One will receive an Aquafresh prize pack and the other will receive $50* …
So, what makes you a mom that works beyond?
* $50 Walmart gift card
** 12 coupons of Aquafresh iso-active Whitening Toothpaste.
*** $500 Walmart gift card
DISCLOSURE:
This post was sponsored by Aquafresh via M80 in association with their Mom Goes Beyond campaign through which (as a year-long Aquafresh brand Ambassador) I will be receiving free products in exchange for my participation.
My inspiring moment comes everytime my daughter hurts herself and runs to me for comfort, past anyone else who happens to be near her. That simple act reaffirms everytime, how much she depends on me and what a responsibility I have to her.
That’s beautiful, Soha! :) … and so very true. It’s amazing how there are times when we, as mothers, are the only one that can comfort our kids.
The biggest event I’ve ever faced is when my daughter was born 13 weeks too early. I had a 2 year old son at home who needed his mom and a critically ill daughter who was in a hospital an hour away. I was torn daily on where I should be. I also had to learn how to give my son some sort of normalcy. Of course, soon I learned that what I was going through was nothing compared to what I had to deal with when our daughter died at 6 weeks old. It would have been so easy to just go to bed and stay there. Definitely was not an option for me. Our families were both far away and my husband had to work. I had to learn to put on a happy face for my son and keep living. There were plenty of times that he saw me cry but I really tried to save all my tears for after he went to bed. I struggled so much but was determined to keep living while also keeping my daughter’s memory alive. I did all the hard work necessary to get through that time. I have also been able to use my experience to help other moms. I will never understand why our daughter was taken from us, but I have learned to cherish the short time we had with her and to love every single moment I have with our children.
{Hi Kat :) ANOTHER great giveaway – wow! Except I think this one really got me thinking.}
I have been thinking about what to write for a couple of days now and out of all the things that make every day inspiring and motivating a mother, I always come to the same thing – Love.
One specific moment was when she first learned how to use the potty at 18 months. Every time she went “potty” I did a song and dance and clapped so hard and she would look up at me and smile.
I get an unbelievable amount of unconditional love from my daughter Zamara. Her smile, her laugh, her long wavy hair, her sense of humor, her love for God, her jokes, her face as she sleeps, her smarts, and even when she gets cranky, these are all components to what I call my most precious gift, my daughter. She is my inspiration to go beyond just being me. She gives me the strength to smile when I’m down. She gives me energy to get up when I’m tired and head to work. She sparks the fire in me to become a more educated, cultured, and spiritual mother. I live my life to protect and guide her so that she, too, can become a kindhearted, charismatic, and respectful human being. I guess thats the way I want to thank her for all she has done for me.
I go beyond just being me, I am a strong and powerful mother because of her, my daughter Zamara.
-Rachel
My most memorable mommy moment to date has been the day my oldest son read a whole book to me. We homeschool, so I was naturally nervous about my ability to get the job done. After that success, I’ve been a more confident mom for sure!
.-= Cindy´s last blog ..Contests 5/27/10 =-.
My most inspiring and memorable moment is every night when I am getting my daughter ready for bed. At 20 months she is full of spunk and always on the go. But at bedtime, when she’s letting me “rock the baby” and telling me “night” and “wuv you mama”, the whole world melts away. There is nothing more precious in the world than the love of a child.
My mom moment is seeing my older kids (who are now teenagers) make wise choices. Being a teen is hard these days and when they make good choices it reflects strongly on their upbringing and their parents!
I have 3 children and I’ve never had anyone take care of them (other than their daddy) a day in their lives. Our families live out of state so we’ve never had any outside help. I pride myself on having been able to raise them and guide them on our own.
A memorable moment that I’ve experienced as a result of being a mom occurred just the other day. I came home from work and was about to walk out to check the mail. My 3 year old was standing there next to the door as I was going to walk out. I grabbed his hand and he walked out the door with me, down a big step, down the path to the driveway, down the driveway to the mailbox stopping along the way to check out a few parked cars. We checked the mailbox and then we walked back to our condo. My husband and I were so happy and I cried tears of joy and talked with my husband about how our son just continues to defy what others expected of him. You see a 3 year old walking to the mailbox and back may seem like nothing special to anyone else, but my son was born with a very rare brain disorder that is a form of Liccencephaly called Pachygyria. When he was 7 months old, the Neurologist told my husband and I that our son would never hold his head up, sit up, crawl, walk, grasp objects that he would be on a feeding tube and die young. I wish that doctor could see my son now. Not only does he hold his head up, sit up, crawl, walk and grab objects, he walked with me all they way to the mail box and back. Despite his challenges, he has worked so hard with all his therapy and come so far and in that moment, I knew that there was so much more beautiful, memorable moments just like this one still to come. I am so blessed that he is my son. I cannot even put into words the changed perspective of life that he has given me.
My youngest daughter has a tender heart. She is currently making potholder for a homeless shelter. I think she’s gonna save the world! :)
For the past two years I have picked up other children along with my two who were out for summer school break and have taken them to our university were they can swim as long as they want for $3.00 in an olympic pool. All of their parents have full time jobs and I felt so sorry for the children couped up in the house till their parents came home. Needless to say it is like a suana in the pool area so sitting there is very uncomfortable to me because I am unable to swim due to a fractured hip. I would also pick up other children on Tuesdays and Thursdays who wanted to join the chess club at my son’s school but had no one to take them before 8:00am on those days.
tamben7996(at)aol(dot)com
For many years, I have/do struggle with major depression and bipolar. I made a vow to myself a long time ago, that I would try/be the best mom I could be. Well, I am glad to say my kids have grown up into responsible, caring adults/teenager.
One of the memorable moments was when DD said “it’s ok, I still love you mommy” after I burned the big bird for our family Thanksgiving get together dinner. That was an awww moment and I almost forgot the pain.
I haven’t had many ‘Mommy Moments’ because I only became a stepmom–to two TEENAGERS!!–last year! At that point neither of my hubby’s kids lived with us, but my stepdaughter moved in with us in January. It was truly diving in at the deep end for me, complicated by the fact that she was diagnosed in February with bipolar disorder and epilepsy. The two conditions were working together to produce hallucinations and paranoia…this on top of being fifteen years old, and having a terrible relationship with her real mom. Things have been VERY difficult for her, and certainly for *us* as we try to work out our new roles together, but my first true Mommy Moment came when my stepdaughter surprised me with a Mother’s Day card she’d made for me. It hadn’t even occurred to me that this was now a holiday *I* could claim! :) I cried when she hugged me and gave me the card. It was also the first time she told me she loved me. <3
I still cry when I think of that moment, and the card hangs on the side of the refrigerator where I see every time I wash dishes or use the sink. I plan to frame it as a momento of that special moment when our relationship became so much deeper…as a mother and a daughter. :)
Thanks…off to wipe away tears…AGAIN! :)
h4schaffer at gmail dot com
I am inspired every time I see my children sharing with their friends about Christ!!
Thanks for the giveaway!!
sandramasters1@bellsouth.net
As a single young women I discovered I was pregnant. I was shocked and scared and not sure what to do! I quickly learned that the best thing for this unborn child would be to be placed for adoption and I found THE most wonderful family in the world to raise him! The adoption has been very open and I see him on occasion. It is amazing to me to have been a mother for the 2 days I spent with him in the hospital and my time carrying him for all I was able to learn and grow from him. I will be forever grateful for that life changing experience and that beautiful little boy who changed my life!! I am now happily married and with 2 little boys of my own and pregnant with number 3. I love my boys and my life very much but I’ll be forever grateful for that first special child that made such a difference to who I am today!
I’m like Jina. All my children have hit double digits. However, I tend to believe the real test of momhood is loving your child when they are at their most unlovable. It’s easy to love my teens when they are offering to lend siblings or even give siblings things. It’s less easy when they are taunting them. I never fail to be amazed at my ability to count to 100 and then start over again when the kids(there are 4 of them) are being kids. I’ve found out wells of things about myself I never knew by raising my children. Who knew I was patient? Or that I could love so unconditionally? Hopefully, they are also learning about themselves too. My oldest turns 18 this year. I’m excited and scared for him. I’ve tried to cram my 40 years of knowledge and experience into him while still trying to allow him to just be. One of the most exciting and memorable moments I have was of him coming home saying he was offered a job because I taught him to clean up after himself and to offer to help others. It comes back in dividends I told him. Sure enough he came home excited “Mom, You were right!” I guess between all the eye rolling and “I don’t cares” some of what I have taught him sunk in. I’ll hold that memory close and count to 10 when I find my 13 year olds stuff all over the place.
Christine
dazed1821@aol.com
My mom moments are when my boys treat others with kindness (unprompted!). We work on it a lot at home. When it happens in the real world, it brings a tear to my eyes.
My husband and I tired for eight years to have a baby. Finally after tests, surgery, shots,ultrasounds,blood work and not to mention so many disappointments at the age of 34 I was pregnant! I was on bed rest for the last 3 months. They delivered her 2 weeks early and she was the most perfect thing we have ever seen. It was all worth it when I heard her first cry. I just need to hear her giggle and I melt. It’s funny how just looking into your baby’s eyes makes you feel so complete. I feel that I was put on this earth to be her mom!
tinap
tinajanet1@verizon.net
The sweetest moments so far have been when my two little ones (both under age two) start to communicate in their own way and begin to share their toys, without being taught to. It’s just fun to see the love between them and how they care for one another, even though they are still so little.
it took us awhile to get pregnant with our daughter Delaney. i was sooo excited when I was pregnant, some people said I was the happiest pregnant person they ever saw.when she was born i was bursting with tears of joy and pride. being a mom is so awesome.
My going beyond as a mom moment actually happened with my (much younger) baby sister. My mom left our family and my dad worked crazy hours, so I was left to fill in as the “mom”. I made sure she did her homework, cooked dinner, monitored her tv time, and just made sure her life stayed normal. This was not easy to do, but I think it made me a stronger, more grateful person
My son is affected by a rare skin disorder and is unable to sweat. When he was only four months old, we had to pack his car seat with ice packs to be able to go to church, because in the ten minute drive, his body temperature would go up to 105! So, an outing to the park or zoo is not simple for us. I have to pack a cooling bag that includes his cooling vest, his cooling blanket, ice packs, wash clothes, a digital forehead thermometer, water, a portable battery operated fan, and miscellaneous other items. My “going beyond moments” happen every time I take my son on an outing on any day where the temperature is likely to exceed 73 degrees, which is his “melting point.” I’ve had other Moms comment, usually when they see the cooler that is always in my van, that they don’t see how I do it. I don’t know how I could not do it. The only other option would be to keep him inside all the time, and that wouldn’t be any fun for him.
That’s what moms do. I know I’ve heard people say they don’t know “how I do it” with 5 kids. My response is the same as yours – what is my option? There is none! lol What, can I NOT be their mom? I love that about you – that you take it all in stride and do everything you have to do in order for your son to have a full life. That’s every GOOD mother’s only hope for her child is that no matter what challenges they face, they overcome them. You are teaching your son that he can do ANYTHING and as a result, as he gets older, he will never allow life to limit him. Kudos to you!
My daughter calls me her “Bestie” I love the fact that I can be her mother and her Best friend…it inspires me to be my best for her!
I have seven children between the ages of 15-25. I work a full time professional job, and every evening when I get off, I really go to work. My ‘going beyand’ moments happen eveyday. With five teenagers at home (4 girls and 1 son with Asperger’s Syndrome), jugglinng their schedules, refereeing their drama, dispensing money constantly, doing daily motivational speeches, biting my tongue, shoveling food in the bottomless pits, creating the memories they will carry through out the rest of their lives, supporting their dreams, setting boundries, and forcing quality family time on them is a mental, physical, emotional, financial and spiritual challege everyday. I jsut dodge the “You are too old to understand” and “I will just die if I don’t get to go”, and try to remember that I will soon have grandchildren to give payback with.
The truth is that the thought of my house being clean, quiet, and without chaos, is frightening. The blood, sweat, and lots of tears are a small price to pay for the blessings my children give me. Creating good human beings is an awesome responsibility. You learn as much as you teach.