As a mother I believe it is important to surround yourself with mother mentors. Women who you look up to, who you admire and respect. Who are parenting their children the way you want to parent your children and have had experience doing what you are about to do. A mother mentor can be family members, friends or even people you admire online.
It doesn't matter who they are, what does matter is that you find some!
Normally if you have a mentor it is someone that you have asked to help you, to guide you and encourage you. Well, in my experience, life doesn't always provide us with that opportunity or courage to ask someone to be our mentor to help us as mothers. So, what I have personally done is pick out mother mentors without them even realising they are one :)
All of us have times as mothers where we feel stuck, where we don't know what to do to move forward or to help our cherubs the way they need and having a few mentors allows us to see what other's have done and to have a source to turn to. Not all of us are blessed to have our own mothers to turn to for guidance and there is nothing wrong with finding another mentor to fill that gap.
I have greatly benefited from having wonderful women to mentor me in my life. I have women from a variety of age groups that I turn to for comfort, guidance and inspiration to help me become a better mother. Often all we need is to know that we are not alone with our struggles, that this time and season will pass and that other women have faced the same challenge.
Mentors rarely provide you with the answer that you are looking for but what they do is give you the encouragement that you need, when you need it. I hope that all women who are mothers have a few mother mentors in their life to cheer them on as they parent. If you feel that you don't have a mother mentor I encourage you to find one at least other woman or even several on your mothering journey.
It will change your mothering, it will change your heart and as you become more confident with your own mothering you will then in turn be able to mentor other mothers and pass on the blessings you have received from having a mentor in your life.
If you are a mother....who is a mother mentor in your life?
You inspire me is so many ways as a mum and as a woman so I guess I can say you are one of my woman mentors aswell as one of my mother mentors.
ReplyDeleteThankyou for that.You are greatly appreciated.xx
St Kilda Mums (everyone should follow them on facebook) recently had a request for Mums to be mentors for a program designed for Mums leaving prison. I considered putting up my hand, as I think the Mums as a mentor is a lovely and possibly highly undervalued program. But I am just not sure my heart could cope with some of the sadness of these situations, and so I find others to donate to causes.
ReplyDeleteBut for anyone with a stronger and super kind heart looking to be a Mum mentor (Victorian based) they are currently look for you.
Thanks Deb and Claire that sounds like a great program. I think I might be a little too teary and soft hearted for that one as well but love the idea of it and so needed. N x
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