The Value of a Mom

This guest post is brought to you by Rena from Simply Great Lives.

The Value a Mom Provides Now

How much value does a mom bring to a family? Well, for starters, she makes sure basic (and not-so-basic) needs are met:

Physical

She does laundry, grocery shopping, cooking, housework and a whole lot more. She'll force the kids off the computer (or TV, or smart phone, or hand-held game) and scoot them out the door to get some exercise. She's even there to fix the occasional boo-boo from playing outside.

Emotional

She instills a sense of security and of being loved and accepted. She's there to help the kids through the usual kid dramas like the first heartbreak, a friend saying something mean or a teacher who punished them unfairly.

Social

She provides discipline to form socially appropriate behaviors like saying “please” and “thank you,” waiting their turn and not belching in public. Additionally, she coordinates uncountable play dates, sports activities, birthday parties, and more.

Spiritual

Depending on her beliefs, she may teach the first prayer and stand firm on going to church. Even more important, she lives her faith because “Do what I say, not what I do” doesn't fly with kids.

The reality is, that's just a small sample of what a mom does for her kids.

The job of “Mom” is huge. Sometimes it's overwhelming. It can take up all of our days and most of our nights, too. It's easy to get caught up in the moment. To be sure, we should enjoy it as much as we can now. Let's not stop there, though. Let's go for maximum positive impact and help our kids become awesome adults!

Here's a start. Ask yourself the following questions.

What character traits do I want my kids to have?

Integrity? Compassion? Self-control? Independence? Responsibility?

What skills do I want them to have?

Communication skills? Emotional intelligence? Decision-making? Prioritizing?

What morals and values do I want to instill?

Discerning right from wrong? Honesty? Fairness? Kindness?

How do I want my kids to see themselves as they grow up?

Capable? Confident? Worthy? Valuable?

These great things we want for our kids as grown-ups don't happen by accident. They come from a committed adult who cares enough to teach and train and encourage them. Sounds like the job of a mom to me!

My Challenge

Pick a couple of the things you identified above. There's no need to try to tackle them all at once. What can you do today to kindle, reinforce, model, or instill those things?

What Value a Mom Provides for the Future

How can someone say what it's worth to help a kid to become a great adult? In my opinion, there's one word. It's like the credit card commercial says: PRICELESS!

About Rena

Rena inspires meaningful proactivity. She's an encourager who tells it like it is. Rena has a masters degree in social work and has worked in disability civil rights, sales and financial coaching. With SimplyGreat Lives, she is an entrepreneur, author and speaker. She lives in the Sacramento area with her husband, John, two sons, Nathan and David, and three cats: Calvin, Hobbes and Spiff.