No, honestly it doesn't bother me. I like to be inspired. every mom, even the average one is someone's hero.. whether she is donating a kidney, combing bubble gum out of someone's hair, or kissing a boo boo.

Well bigbaby I want to wish you a nice Mother's Day, from one average Mom to another. All I did was feed six children, do their laundry, made sure the clothes they were wearing was suitable for school, sat up at night with sick kids, cleaned vomit off of both of us and the floor, baked birthday cakes and invited all their little friends to partake of said cake and ice cream kissed their booboo's, tucked them into bed at night and numerous other things. I am not a candidate for Mother of the Year, but I sure love my kids and I did my best. Vique.

Duckie, I really think all those women are average moms and indicated of what all moms do. Maybe you don't realize it, but your kids are going to feel the same way one day - that you are their mom who did some pretty miraculous things.

oops
indicative" not indicated

I guess I'm another average mom. But the supermom ads don't bother me. I don't compare my parenting to others. The success and accomplishment I feel is in seeing my children grown and having a good relationship with them.

Mrs. Average Mom here, too - my kids don't think I'm average, but I am. I am sure these 'super-moms' don't think they are heros, either - it's their kids or the media that put that title on them. You will always be the super-hero mom in your kids' minds, so bask in it this coming Sunday - you did good!

I have two daughters. Seems they "alternate" years giving me Mother's Day gifts. But I never forget my own Mom, who had 4 kids in 6 years, a feat I still think is remarkable! Mother's Day is May 11 and her 85th birthday is May 12.

No, that doesn't bother me. What DOES bother me is that all the cards are so sappy or paint every mother to be the wholesome variety. What if you don't have a mother like in the card? I mean, we barely survived. I need to start my own line of greeting cards for those of us who were raised by wolves.

"Happy mother's day! Thanks for not eating us, mom!"

good one dances! lol lol...

Funny, Dances!!! I'm with you, Bigbaby, but I don't care about celebrating or not. Kids live too far to come for the day. I do get nice cards and appreciate the thought, but wish they wouldn't spend the $$$--for the price of the card they could buy a gallon of gas. (I wouldn't tell them that, though.) I like to think I'm sentimental, but I guess I'm not.

Thank you and right back atcha...from just a common everyday Mom...who's letting her 20 year old cry on her shoulder cause he just lost his girl...(makes me want to kill her...but I understand...or am trying too...)

Oh Dances, I'm with ya. If you need a business partner just let me know. I love my mom, but I have the hardest time getting her a card. I'm sorry but she wasn't there for me emotionally and we haven't become great friends. There were MANY years where I was more of a mom to her. From fifth grade through around the tenth grade, I was HER mom. Cooking, cleaning, doing her laundry, chasing her bill collectors away. I can appreciate her now for not turning me out on to the street or pawning me off on someone else, but she never been one of those moms described in those cards. I know she did all she was mentally capable of doing.

Oh and to answer you BB, I don't mind those commercials or stories. I just don't want my kids to see them. You know the "other side of the fence" thing. LOL!!

I don't mind the Supermom stuff, but I'm another average woman who has made her share of mistakes along the way, but everything I did for my daughter and my siblings I raised as well as my niece we adopted has been out of love.

Dances, I agree with you about the sentiments on Mother's Day cards. It's hard to find one for someone who gave birth to you, but obviously didn't really want you or her other kids either.

Linda

By most measurements my mother was as average as they come. But she was MY hero, and there isn't a day that goes by that I don't miss her terribly.

And aside from having her back, if I could wish for anything I'd wish to someday have the opportunity to be an "average" mother just like her.

With my kids still little, they tell me how great I am and give me love all the time. So I am still at the wiping noses, kissing boo boos, and changing diapers and making bottles. I sometimes wonder if we will make it through the day. But I remember that everything will get done in its own time, despite what DH thinks. Rhiannon gave me a violet in a cup for my mother's day present. It brought tears to my eyes. She told me tonight that she wants to buy me lots of diamonds for mothers day. What a precious angel.

Stacie
girlsingardens

I'm sort of sad that some of you feel the need to compare yourselves with the "Super Mom"s.

And agree with those who feel they were/are just the run-of-the-mill variety ... but suspect that, to their kids, they're super Mom (well, maybe not for a while when they're teen-agers ... but we all got over that, too).

I am sad for those of you who were at least partially rejected by your Moms. That's a hard load to carry.

My Mom was in mental hosp. (where my ex- later worked) from when I was about 5 or 6, and I remember next to nothing of her ... maybe if someone could have jogged my memory shortly after she left, , "Remember how your Mom did ... with you ...".

They say that she was a great lady. What a shame that I didn't know her better ... though they say that the influences prior to age 6 or so have a great deal to do with the way our tree of life grows, later.

Grandma came to live with us shortly after, when Grandpa died, but she was old, with a badly bent back, and rather sexless.

We had hired help, as well.

Mom died when I was 13 ... when the hospital called ... I was the one that got the message.

For those of you who do not feel any connection with the sentiments expressed on the cards, how about writing a message to your Moms, referring to some of the good thigs that she did and your good memories (if you can dredge some up) being as diplomatic as you can, possibly expressing regret that you have not been closer.

It could be that such would not only make a good impression on them ... but help your emotional equilibrium, as well.

Even though we can't relive the past ...

... tomorrow is the first day of the rest of our lives.

After the storm ... the sun comes out.

My kids' Mom died upwards of three years ago, so they are Mom-less, now, as well.

Daughter is in TO packing, disposing of some things, this week, as shipping to AZ is *expensive*, and she's bought a home there.

Maybe I'll try to get them together on Sun., if possible (we were together for a while last Sun).

I think that she's flying to AZ right after that.

Enjoy your Moms ... (as much as you can) ... while you have them. Not many of you will make your departure before them.

Enjoy your kids while you can, as well - they're soon grown and gone, often a long way away (but not out of mind and heart).

ole joyful

Dances...print 'em up..I sure would have used one! Things were never "good", but especially bad when during one of her rages she admitted she never wanted kids,and got stuck with me. Actually I probably wouldn't have spent the money on the card! LOL!
About the super moms, it doesn't bother me because I don't watch!
Kathy

(((((Joyful)))))

If I could give you a great big hug I would. I love your posts, I eat up everything you have to say.
You truly are a special person.

Danielle

I'm a diehard member of the OJ fan club too.

Nice to see you posting again Dani.

Hey Lady - how's things?

Thank you, ladies.

We all have different roads to travel. Until I was 17 I'd never travelled over 30 miles from home ... then my Dad, who had bronchitis and incipient asthma and felt that his farming days were numbered in our location ...

... moved 1,600 miles to the Prairies in Saskatchewan, where he share-cropped for a while, then bought his own farm - and had 40 years of good health.

And we react to the experiences of our lives in different ways.

I was away to Univ. when Dad remarried, and we got a ready-made (pretty, vivacious) sister in that deal, a bit younger than we three boys. We didn't get along too well with stepmother (but sister, who became a school-teacher, didn't like her very well, either). She loved Dad - said that he never treated her any differently than the boys.

Spent several years helping some refugees with nothing get their lives operational again, just after the Korean War. Met a somewhat younger woman from Iowa at Cornell Univ., married in Korea, and son, who was born there, later needed eye care, so we settled in Canada and I became a clergyperson.

Later Sue, who became head of food service in the Psych. Hosp. where my Mom had been incarcerated 30 years earlier, felt that she needed to live on her own and we scarcely spoke for 35 years - something of a shame: life's too short for that.

That caused disruption of my career - clergy didn't do that, almost 40 years ago!

When, over 20 years later, they talked of closing her establishment or another a few miles away, she took early retirement, had a happy 10 years of life doing various things, including spending winters between FL and TX (later also AZ when our daughter lived there for a time) in her RV.

Contracted colon cancer, died at 66, just under 3 years ago ... kids said that in the ordinary course, Mom would have retired "last year" ... and I added that she'd have been sick for most of that year.

I'm very thankful, as I approach 80, to be enjoying good health.

Dad said that he wanted to leave his farm better than he found it - he felt that way about his community, also, though I never heard him say so. Though I am thankful, proud and happy to be Canadian, I also consider myself something of a citizen of the world, as well ... and I hope that I can leave it better than I found it.

And here I am ... hijacking a "Mother's Day discussion" thread!

Sorry, folks.

ole joyful

Somehow I find Dances post particulary amusing... Would the cards be Dances with Wolves" possibly in garden?

All in all, I was pretty fortunate. I had a pretty good mother. She definitely had challenges to deal with. Let's just say she didn't have a "Leave it to Beaver" type family situation, but did her best and she got cheated out of life far too early. Cancer took her at age 57. Married rather late in life (34) and afterward having 3 surviving children and twins who didn't make it. And the last few years of her life weren't the healthiest so she didn't get to enjoy any "golden years" and had a hard working life while she was on the planet.

You did your best Ma, and it was good. For me there's lots of fond memories and I for one miss you a lot.

now, even in my later years I still deal with resentment and hurt because mom could not or would not give me something that didn't cost money....her time, her attention or her love....now I know she suffered from a mental illness which contributed to her poor nuturing skills, she's gone and I can't say "I'm sorry"

Well, can you tell I was having a bad day yesterday? LOL Thanks for all your comments. You probably guessed that my mom compares to Dances' mom and that's where the root of the sadness comes from. Also, didn't really learn how to be a mom from mine and have just been bumping along trying to learn as I go. Jealous of supermoms? Well, probably!

In my heart of hearts I just want my kids to have it better than I did and I have to take a step back and say that I think I'm successful in that way. Their father and I are still married and happily so (my father was an alcoholic who left early on). My brother is in prison for the second time because of felonly DWIs and none of my kids are anywhere close to that kind of behavior. I have another sister who has serious mental health issues and all of my kids are very healthy mentally. My other sister is a recluse, friendless and childless at 55 years of age. All 5 of our kids are safe, smart, happy and healthy. What am I complaining about, anyway? ROFL!

I made my own card to my mother for mother's day with this picture on the front. I'm the happy one on the left (yeh, complaining even then!). I guess I always hear such happy, positive mother stories on mother's day and it is nice to share with other people their less than perfect experiences. Thanks again, eveyone. I'm feeling much better today!

My mom was verbally and sometimes physically abusive to us three sisters, but we always knew and felt her love. She has been gone 13 years May 5 and we miss her a lot. We believe she was bi-polar and depressed. She became a new woman once she passed menopause and we were fortunate to finally have a great relationship.

It is my blessing to have Dotmom as a mother-in-law. She is the sweetest, kindest, most loving person I've met. The whole family is that way thanks to her influence and it is wonderful to see their closeness and love during this tragic time of losing their son and brother.

I'm glad that you felt comfortable enough here to share your pain and sorrows, big baby.

Plus pleased that you felt better after having done so, and received support from and heard others share their stories.

There is quite a mixture here ... what with wild child, dirty fingernails, and folks out dancing in the garden, among others.

Sorry for your situation, dirty fingernails, having such a sorrowful time just at a time of celebrating Mother's Day. On the other hand, it would remind you once again and more intensely of how much you have appreciated Dot Mom and her family over the years, helping you look at life from a different perspective ... not just "look at", but "share in", I think.

This has been quite a thread. Thank you all for sharing.

I hope that most of you who find it something of a painful time, or at least face it with mixed feelings, have found some ease and comfort here and can deal with it with a happier heart, this year.

Have a happy Mother's Day, all of you.

ole joyful