This Is You, Mom: 12 Super Traits Of Strong Moms - Page 5

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When growing up, I saw my mother as a superhero. She fed me, bathed me, washed my clothing and tucked me into bed with a kiss on the forehead and God’s blessing. She made me feel loved, protected and safe. Mami killed roaches that crawled on the walls of our NYC apartment, swatted away mosquitoes when we visited the Dominican Republic, and tended to my physical and emotional cuts and bruises.

Yes, my mother was my Supergirl. My Shera. My Wonder Woman. To this day, I look up to her and the sacrifices that she made for her children as a single mother. I hope I can be half the mom that she is when I have my own children.

Being a mom doesn’t come easy; it tests your will, your patience, and your capacity to love. It also strengthens women. Motherhood may be the best cure for a broken heart and spirit. But don’t take it from me. Listen to the wise words of the following moms who share the 12 ways that being a mom makes them stronger.

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You Have No Choice But To Be Strong

When women have children, they have to be strong no matter what. Mothers are the first line of defense. They are their to protect and serve, even when they’ve had a terrible day. In those moments when a mother wants to throw in the towel, she eyes her children and realizes she can’t. So she sucks it up. She is strong because she has to be.

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You Become Selfless

One mother said that she does for her kids what she wouldn’t do for herself. “When another younger being depends entirely on you,” Lorraine said, “you rise to the occasion. No questions asked.” This requires selfishness. Mothers put themselves second. Being a selfless person is powerful.

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You Learn to Do It All With No Sleep

Sleeping is overrated! That’s what mom’s say to keep going without any sleep.  As a single woman without children, I can’t imagine sleeping four hours and being a superhero to little ones. I’d be the crankiest Superwoman ever. But mothers just do. As Elizabeth, a single mother of two, explained, “You learn to do everything everyone else has to do in this world…but without sleep.” Talk about willpower.

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You Are Quick On Your Feet

Mothers have to juggle a gazillion things at once, and most do so well. They may not all think so (moms often feel guilty about something) but I am here to tell you that you are fabulous. A mom’s ability to cook breakfast, take work calls, get the kids ready for school and analyze situations at the drop of a hat (and take action) is sort of a miracle.

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You Become A Leader

When we are leaders we must be strong. When you are a mother, you are leading by example, not by default. Even when you want to cry, you can’t break down for hours in front of your children. As Elizabeth said, you can “never let your kids see you on your knees.” That’s because your children are watching and learning from you.

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You Learn How to Overcome Obstacles

Because you are a leader as soon as you give birth, you have to overcome obstacles. You can’t crawl under a rock and let life pass you by. Regardless of what you or your family is going through, you leap over the hurdles. You problem solve. You suck it up and do what has to be done to crush the issue. That’s almost superhuman.

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You Ask for Help

Asking for help doesn’t make us weak. In fact, it is weak if you feel you must do it all on your own. Esther asked for help because she needed to survive depression in order to be there for her children. “I was almost suicidal,” she admitted. “But the thought of leaving my three-year-old son gave me the strength to seek help.” Thank God for the power of motherhood.

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You Become Vulnerable

Being vulnerable is the best thing you can do for your mind and heart. Even in romantic relationships, you must open up your heart to connect and experience true love. Motherhood helps. Opening up and letting your guard down comes with the territory. I salute mothers for their willingness and ability to be vulnerable, even when it’s scary.

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You Are a BodyGuard

I’ve talked to women who are tiny who say they become 200-pound men when their child is threatened. It’s like an out of body experience. Adrenaline is pumping and you lunge and shield with little regard to your safety, just like a superhero. As Monique explained, “You want to protect them and see them soar at the same time.” And that doesn’t change when your children grow up. No matter how old he or she becomes a mom will always be her child’s bodyguard.

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You Learn Acceptance

Accepting people as they are isn’t easy. When you are a mother, you just have to. As much as you may raise your child a certain way, or expect this or that, your children become adults. They come onto their own and make choices. You have no say in this. It’s crazy. You did all that work and they didn’t become exactly who you wanted them to? That’s life. That’s parenting. Accepting that is tough but mothers do it every day. It’s a lesson in life and love that all of us should learn.

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You Learn to Love Unconditionally

Loving unconditionally can be terrifying. But when you are a mother it just happens naturally. As Monique shared, when you are a mother “you start to understand the real meaning of unconditional love because you love someone else more than you even understand.” That love makes women so much stronger. And I am thrilled to experience it all one day.

Sujeiry Gonzalez is a relationship writer and new mom. She is also the author of Love Trips: A Collection of Relationship Stumbles. Get her relationship advice daily on LoveSujeiry.com.