Around the World in Eighty Clicks: Why I Love Being a Mother

I was flattered to be asked to participate in “Around the World in Eighty Clicks,” founded by Katherine at Her Bad Mother and David at It’s Not a Lecture. The idea is for bloggers from eighty different countries to give five reasons why they love being mothers.

Like Katherine, I don’t love everything about motherhood nor do I feel like I’m so good at it. Especially in the midst of the pre-Passover upheaval. But I guess that makes this a good time to remember.

Five Things I Love about Being a Mother

  1. I love belonging to the worldwide community of mothers. I find myself connecting with other women in deep and meaningful ways, even after a short acquaintance.  In this guest post I blogged about how breastfeeding connections eased my adjustment to a new country and culture.
    [I can’t let this post go by without mentioning the gruesome murder of an innocent child. Fear of terror attacks and the need for our sons to serve in the army give Israeli mothers an added dimension to bonding that I wish didn’t exist.]
  2. I love observing my children as they move through predictable stages, in six different variations. Like that two-year-old stage when mothers must do things exactly the way they have always done them. For one what mattered was that I poured the milk exactly into the middle of the cereal. Another insisted on taking the same route each day.
  3. I love learning from them–to be more sensitive, flexible, patient, affectionate and light-hearted. Since I haven’t finished those lessons, I can look forward to loving motherhood even more.
  4. On good days, I love the feeling of accomplishment when dinner gets to the table on time,  the kids make an interesting discovery, and I handle crises wisely. On bad days, I love when they are asleep, finally.
  5. I love watching them intera I love when they come over and hug me while I am sitting at the computer.

I’d like to tag Israeli bloggers Robin at Around the Island, Baila at Ill Call Baila, RivkA of Coffee and Chemo, Rickismom at Beneath the Wings, and Liza at Something, Something.

Comments

  1. This is a meme I’ll do! Stay tuned.

  2. I love the way you inspire me as a mother. You were one of my first role models when I was a new mother, and are still a real source of inspiration today, eight-plus years later.

    Off to go mull over my thoughts for my own post.

  3. This is great – thanks so much!

  4. rickismom says

    I’ll do, blineder… but don’t hold your breath!

  5. So in the next 15 years I have different things to look forward to…plus more of the same 🙂

  6. I’m definitely all about the cuddling.

  7. sylvia_rachel says

    What a great meme! 🙂

  8. “I love belonging to the worldwide community of mothers. I find myself connecting with other women in deep and meaningful ways, even after a short acquaintance.”

    THIS is exactly we did this. THANK YOU.

  9. Beautiful post!
    (Coincidentally, my youngest is cuddled up next to me as I type this…)

    Shavua tov and chag kasher v’same’ach to you and yours!

  10. mominisrael says

    Robin, that is so sweet. Check out Robin’s blog fo her post.
    Baila and Rickismom, looking forward.
    David, you’re welcome! Thanks for inviting me.
    Kate, all kinds of surprises.
    TC, it makes up for a lot.
    SR, I thought you would enjoy it but in the end decided to tag only Israelis.
    HBM: Great meme and thanks for visiting.
    Mrs. S. I hope you and other Israeli bloggers will join in.

  11. Nice post. I struggle with having patience for my children, especially my youngest, especially when I am tired.

    One of the joys of parenting is when a child has struggled and struggled and struggled with a certain important skill, in my daughter’s case reading, and on Friday night she willingly read to a five-year-old (she’s six). I was absolutely thrilled! (I let her know). It got humorous when the five-year-old corrected her pronunciation of the word “low.” (the 5 year old has better reading skills than she does).