mom Archives - Loreeebee

Today, June 9th, would have been my mom’s 85th birthday. Although she died twenty years ago, it seems like just yesterday to me. I’m particularily missing my mom today but very few days of the year go by without me missing her and her presence in my life.

I’d like to share a funny story she told me once about her birthday being on June 9.

I don’t remember how old she was when she pulled this stunt, but I still chuckle when I think about it. My mom grew up on a farm in Osnabruck Center, Ontario. June 9 on a busy farm meant potato planting time, so every birthday although she dreamt of birthday celebrations, she planted potatoes instead.

One June 9th, she thought she would take the bull by the horns and plan her own birthday celebration, so invited some friends to her home after school. Her mother apparently did not miss a beat, came in from the garden where she was planting potatoes and started making sandwiches and a cake.

I admired both of these great women terribly. My mom was stubborn yet determined and her mom was the greatest multitasker I’ve ever met. I am proud to be descendants of these wonderful women. Hopefully, the apple did not fall far from the tree. ( I would have said potato instead of apple, but even I know potatoes do not grow on trees!)

Although this post is about me missing my mom today, I miss her mom too. The cookbook I wrote was dedicated to this family of great women.

Are you the meanest mom in the world? Do you:

demand to know where your teen is going and with whom?
insist on making arrangements with other parents to drop off/pick up?
make them call you when there is a change of plans and they are not going to be where you thought they were?
make and stick to curfew times, so they are not out all night?
discourage your teen from attending parties where there is no parental supervision?
discourage your teen from attending parties where the consumption of alcohol and/or drugs are suspected?
get frustrated/angry when your teen is obviously not putting any effort into their school work and/or sporting activities?
ask them, at least once daily, if they have any or have finished their homework?
get frustrated/angry when your teen and his/her friends break, damage, or lose something, don’t admit to it, don’t fix, find or retrieve it, and then don’t seem to think it’s a big deal?
spend lots of money on their sporting activities, and lots of time driving them to and from these activities, so they can have fun?
get frustrated when they won’t attempt to “better themselves” by applying for a more challenging/rewarding job, or training and trying out for a stronger/more challenging sports team?
make them go to bed at a decent time and take away their electronic devices (cell phones, iPods, laptops) at bedtime on school nights, so they will get the rest they need. By the way, did you know sleep deprivation is the most common aggravator of many childhood/teen health issues such as ADD/ADHD, anxiety, depression, and more?
prepare and expect them to eat well-balanced, nutritious meals and discourage them from consuming too much junk food?
request that they keep their bedrooms clean, so you can occasionally find their dirty laundry and vacuum the floors in there?
make them do really difficult household chores such as empty the dishwasher, cut the grass, shovel snow, and keep their rec room in the basement clean, to get an allowance/make some spending money?