Moms are notorious for putting themselves last. As a matter of fact, I am 100% sure that the majority of moms would disregard the warnings by flight attendants on a plane and instinctively place that mask on their kid' face before their own. I am not sure if it is a genetic thing or a cultural thing, but moms rarely do things that benefit them. In fact, no matter how hard they try it seems that the feeling of guilt inevitably takes over.
The timing of this post is deliberate. I wanted to remind moms all over the world that you can do things differently starting 2017! You do not have to feel guilty if you take a little time for yourself, or feel pressured to put your kid's needs above your own at all times. You do not have to spend every last dime on clothes for your children and wear rags that are falling apart. You do not have to put off getting a massage or manicure because your kids want the latest toy or gadget they saw on t.v. NO...NO....NO!!!! Kids these days are spoiled. I am going to spend the rest of this post explaining what I mean.
When was the last time your kids did something for you just because? (Do not count birthdays or holidays.) What kind of example are you showing them? Do they see a woman who is worn out and in desperate need of pampering or some TLC? Or do they see a woman who takes care of her own needs and is happy and emotionally stable? Do they see a mom who is overweight and sick? Or do they see a woman who cares for her body by exercising and eating proper nutrition? Do they see a mom who does everything for them? Or they have a mom who teaches her children to do things for themselves? Do they see a mom who is loved and honored by her husband? Or do they see a mom who is neglected and taken for granted by her husband? Do they see a mom who is spiritually fed by going to a house of worship each Sunday and who reads the scriptures, especially during times of trial? Or do they see a mom who has no hope, no faith, no direction in life?
As we begin a new year, let us all remember that we cannot love another being until we learn how to love ourselves. We should come first. This does not mean that we are to be selfish. It means that we must be prepared to take care of others by first making sure we are taken care of. We are to love others by first loving ourselves. We must respect others by demanding respect. We are to remember the divine worth of others by honoring our own divine worth. This is the only way if we are to reach our full potential. I promise that as we all do this, we will create a generation of adults who will do the same. At the rate we are going, we are creating a generation of children who will become adults who are selfish and greedy. They have not been taught to wait for a reward. They are being taught quick gratification and the need for things to fill voids. We need to fix this quickly! The only way to break the cycle is by setting the example at home, in spite of what they are taught elsewhere.
We only get them for such a short period of time in the grand scheme of things. Before we know it, they are grown. Let us all vow to start now and do our part. The results will be exponential. Let's make it happen!
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The Hand That Rocks the Cradle Is the Hand That Rules the World
-William Ross Wallace
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