Parenting is a challenging journey, and as a mother, I often find myself in situations that make me reflect on what it means to truly love my children. Recently, I had a moment with my three oldest sons that perfectly captured this idea. Picture this: I was doling out spoonfuls of icing to each of them as a reward for their cooperative smiles during a family photo session. They giggled and cheered, declaring me the “best mom ever.” But then, my eldest son looked at me with wide eyes and said, “I can’t believe you’re letting us eat icing straight from the can!”
In that instant, my heart sank. His innocent praise was bittersweet. Just the night before, I had told him “no” to a request he was passionate about, leading to a meltdown. In his mind, my refusal was an affront to his happiness. But standing there, watching their gleeful faces covered in icing, I realized that they might not fully grasp the complexities of love and boundaries.
As I pondered this, I felt compelled to convey a message to my children—one that I hoped would clarify my intentions as a mother. So, I penned a letter to them (and a reminder for myself too):