I’m certain I would never have been hailed as Mother of the Year during my tenure of raising three youngsters.  I made a ton of mistakes – mistakes I wish I could undo, but instead I just hide them away in the recesses of my aging mind – and pray that God has forgiven them along with my other sins. Kids today are different than when I was raising a family.  Kids today are different than when my great grandparents were doing their parenting thing.  I could go on and on about how good my way was, but I think every generation is filled with the same problems, fears, anxieties and trials by error.

Each day as a parent is a new adventure.  You will face problems with discipline – scrapes and bruises, frequent trips to the ER, helping with homework that’s foreign to you, constant picking up after, nagging, feeling like a drill sergeant, making sure they eat properly, are clothed and have a roof over their heads.  Not an easy job description, but every year – more children come into the world and the process goes on.

My generation has seen the first television set, the first astronaut on the moon, advances in technology – science and medicine.  We’ve come from a place where washing hands was only necessary before eating a meal.  We entertained ourselves by playing outside all day – even on the cold days of winter.  Almost everything was recycled – disposable diapers, water bottles, plastic containers for fast food were non-existent.  We took the bus to sporting and after school events – in fact my family didn’t own a car until I was old enough to get a license.

The generation of today will experience much of the same – growth in technology, an abundance of new jobs being created because of it – fear of being bullied, having their school under siege, and changing views on morality. They will absorb more information than the mind can possibly handle.  They will be exposed to more of the ugliness of the world through the media and instant news.  They will need their parents guidance and reassurance as much as we did. Us old fogies will grumble and complain and the moms and dads of today will do so too when their kids have children.  It’s in the nature of man.  I had to learn how to be a mom.  Even with good role models, it’s a learn as you go process.