Mother’s Day has come and gone, but I’m concerned about how much parenting has changed over my lifetime. I’ve seen women go through a time of total submission to complete domination in the course of only some fifty years. They are now doing more jobs than ever before. Not only are they taking care of the family’s physical needs, social involvement, building character, but also things like putting food on the table with money they’re earning at high paying jobs. There’s nothing wrong with that, but I’m concerned that with all the changes over time, we’re also seeing alterations to the family unit. There are reasons for those changes. Change is sometimes good. Change can also cause confusion and stress.

Being a mom is a life-changing, life-long and life-giving experience. It doesn’t end with the labor in the delivery room. The work just begins there. Moms soon find they are no longer the center of their own universe. Once that new life enters yours, you become totally committed to it. A mother often puts her child first. A mother’s love is unconditional. It can be inspiring. She can cause mountains to move with her encouragement. She can take pride in a job well done. She can leap tall buildings in a single bound. Wait – wrong super-hero. Anyone would want the job, right? What you don’t always hear about may have you thinking twice before entering into this facet of life.

Moms must be available 24/7. Your life will now consist of changing diapers and wiping little bottoms. You will be expected to listen to every word they have to say and every demand they make. You will transport them to every sporting event, concert, dance recital, or drama class until they are old enough to drive themselves. Then you will pray incessantly until they return home. You will cry every time they get hurt. You will defend them if anyone says a negative thing about them. You will give up and clean their rooms after you’ve asked them to do it at least a hundred times. You will support them, encourage them, believe in them.

You will get angry with them. You will be discouraged with their behavior. You will wait your turn to use the bathroom only to be joined by them during that precious quiet time, because they want to be with you. You will read to them, sing to them, teach them, praise them, thank them, be proud of them even when they don’t succeed. You will discipline them even when you don’t want to. You will set rules for them even when they don’t want them.

What are the benefits? You will see sparkles in their eyes when they understand things. You will get goose bumps when they score their first goal. You’ll watch a life develop and become more than you ever dreamed it would. You will melt when they put their arms around you and say, “I love you, mom.” You will be proud, joyful, amazed and extremely gratified for a job well done. You will be thankful for the blessed opportunity to help create a life and watch it grow into an adult who may go through the same satisfying experience. You will always love them, and they will love you back – because you are a mom.

I’m not suggesting that women return to the status they held many years ago. I truly believe that God created men and women to be equal – to be helpers and companions – to trust in God to keep the family together. Single parent families can still produce good results, but there needs to be a balance when it comes to raising children. Therefore, it isn’t intended to be a one-person job. When God instituted marriage, he created one man and one woman to produce children – thus the first family. When God is at the head, everything else falls into place.