A Legacy of Role Models

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Me and Amber (2011)Some days I just don’t think I’ve got it in me to be the kind of mother I know that I should be.  I just don’t know if I’m doing or saying the right things to effectively raise my daughter to be a role model herself.  This parenting gig is a lot harder than I thought it was going to be.  But it is made a lot easier when I ask for the advice of my own Mom, who was and still is a great role model for me.

The one thing that I remember most about my Mom is that she was always around.  Whenever we needed her there she was.  Cheering on the sidelines at sports events, sitting in the hard metal chairs at music concerts, making sure that we were learning at parent/teacher conferences, and so many other places.  We were fortunate to have Mom be able to stay home while Dad brought home a paycheck, it definitely played a huge role in deciding to be a stay at home mom myself.

The thing is, that never ended.  My Mom is still always there even now that we are grown.  She was there with my brothers when their marriages didn’t work.  She was there for my sister when my brother-in-law died, most recently she is there for my brother when his house was destroyed by a fire.   And while I’ve thankfully never had a tragedy to endure, I know she’s always just a phone call away when I do need her, whether it’s for parenting advice, or just to chat.

My Mom (far right) with her 4 children (2009)

That’s what I want my daughter to remember when she’s raising her own children.  I want her to remember that I was always there.  That her activities and social functions took priority, but without complaint on my part.  That I willingly and joyfully carted her around, just because I wanted to – not because I HAD to.  And in turn I hope she will do the same for her children.

One of the biggest things I struggle with is being a role model when it comes to nutrition.  I always want my daughter to choose healthy foods and snacks, but I don’t myself.  I recently noticed that she is drinking more pop and iced tea than she is milk (which she always drank a lot of) – and I was going to reprimand her, but then…she doesn’t see me drinking it either.  The one place I do use milk consistently is in my cereal, and my daughter always ate her cereal dry.  Surprisingly though, just yesterday morning, I saw her pouring milk into her cereal bowl!  So I guess she does watch me more than I think…guess I better step the milk consumption up a bit.

How about you?  Was your mother a role model in your life?  I know that’s not the case for everyone, but you can start a legacy to be a role model in your children’s lives. 

The National Milk Mustache got milk? Campaign has a new interactive section on their Facebook page that encourages readers to create their very own milk mustache picture, watch the videos about Moms, and send an e-postcard to someone they love.  Research suggests that mother’s have a unique opportunity – and a powerful responsibility – to influence the next generation of women.  Show mom how much she shaped your life by sending her a personalized got milk? e-card, I know I will.

 “I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of the National Milk Mustache got milk? Campaign and received a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

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