Mother's Day (being your child's mother)
Sandra Dodd
This was posted on facebook, on my page Radical Unschooling Info, written by someone who is also on this list. I think it's too good for just the impermanence of facebook, so I've brought it here.
Thank you, Christina, for expanding on this.
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Christina Daharry 7:16am May 12
"Instead of being my mother's child, I am my children's mother." —Sandra Dodd
This was the quote on http://sandradodd.com this morning and it spoke so much to me. I have had a lot of anxiety about this Mother's Day. I just had a new baby and on the night I gave birth to my fourth child, I had a horrible battle of words with my mother. This whole experience opened up the festering infection I've tried to simply put a bandage on since I was 9 yo and really became aware of how messed up my whole home situation was.
Deschooling/Radical Unschooling has, inadvertently, been a journey into healing of my own childhood wounds, but at this time there is so much hurt surfacing and seeing this quote reminded me that I am NO longer HER child. I am my children's mother. I have fears of being "just like my mother", but I choose to remember that I am making different choices and that I am doing the work to rewire my brain to be my child's partner, advocate, friend...to be a source of peace, unconditional love, and joy.
Many are celebrating the love and connection they share with their mothers, but this holiday has been very uncomfortable for me for many years and this one has been the worst for me. This quote gave me a new perspective. I am creating a new environment for my children. They will have different memories than I did...more joyful, more peaceful memories. That's something I can celebrate this Mother's Day. Thank you, Sandra Dodd and all the others that so generously offer help to those of us earlier on this journey. You've made a huge difference in the life of my whole family.
Thank you, Christina, for expanding on this.
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Christina Daharry 7:16am May 12
"Instead of being my mother's child, I am my children's mother." —Sandra Dodd
This was the quote on http://sandradodd.com this morning and it spoke so much to me. I have had a lot of anxiety about this Mother's Day. I just had a new baby and on the night I gave birth to my fourth child, I had a horrible battle of words with my mother. This whole experience opened up the festering infection I've tried to simply put a bandage on since I was 9 yo and really became aware of how messed up my whole home situation was.
Deschooling/Radical Unschooling has, inadvertently, been a journey into healing of my own childhood wounds, but at this time there is so much hurt surfacing and seeing this quote reminded me that I am NO longer HER child. I am my children's mother. I have fears of being "just like my mother", but I choose to remember that I am making different choices and that I am doing the work to rewire my brain to be my child's partner, advocate, friend...to be a source of peace, unconditional love, and joy.
Many are celebrating the love and connection they share with their mothers, but this holiday has been very uncomfortable for me for many years and this one has been the worst for me. This quote gave me a new perspective. I am creating a new environment for my children. They will have different memories than I did...more joyful, more peaceful memories. That's something I can celebrate this Mother's Day. Thank you, Sandra Dodd and all the others that so generously offer help to those of us earlier on this journey. You've made a huge difference in the life of my whole family.