Last night, armed with my evening green tea and ready to mentally dispute articles posted by high school acquaintances, I began scrolling through Facebook. That’s when I saw it—a post about how a friend’s mom had just received a “Mom-of-the-Year” award. She had been named through their church as one of a few moms deserving of this “Mom of the Year” award.
“Wow,” I thought, “How does one choose a ‘Mom-of-the-Year’? What kind of criteria is used to make such a declaration of the value of one particular mom over another?”
So…I couldn’t resist. Here is my take on who gets “Mom-of-the-Year”.
To the mom in the NICU…Day after day you visit your baby. He looks so tiny, and you hardly believe he’s here already. His early arrival stole your last three months of guilt-free cravings and husband sanctioned foot massages. Your only wish is that he continues to fight and grow like he would have inside of you. Congratulations…you are Mom-of-the-Year.
To the mom without a child yet…Congratulations. You are officially tough-as-nails. You’re tracking, temping, propping, testing, taking special drugs and trying not to go completely nuts. The dedication that you bring to this process proves it. Congratulations…you are Mom-of-the-Year.
To the Birth mom…who, while pregnant with a child she would not be parenting, spent her last few dollars on fruits and vegetables to eat for the baby’s health. Who stopped smoking even when the urge was strong. You intently studied every family’s profile, sometimes crying late at night, until finding one that felt like a good fit. You wanted your child to be part of a family. Congratulations…you are Mom-of-the-Year.
To the mom who went through medical hell to get her child here…You went through surgeries, tests, serious recovery and loss of future ability to carry a child. Congratulations…you are Mom-of-the-Year.
To the mom of the gifted child…You try to hide the fact that your child is gifted, because you don’t want the inevitable eye rolls, comparisons, or to bring out insecurities in others. You don’t take credit for your child’s advanced understanding of reading, math, and the world around her, but you do want to foster it in the best possible way. You don’t want others to feel threatened by your child’s ability, but you do want to encourage your child to express herself. You will figure out this delicate balance, and you will be great at this. Congratulations…you are Mom-of-the-Year.
To the mom whose child has food allergies…You’ve made it through this year while managing to somehow fend off every dust of peanuts, drop of fructose or accidental sip of cow’s milk from entering your child’s system. You’ve made your home a fortress against gluten, and you’ve put up with society’s continual need to make fun of these allergies. Congratulations…you are Mom-of-the-Year.
To the working mom, stay-at-home mom, adoptive mom, overwhelmed mom, single mom, mom-who-made-it-through-this year….you did it.
Congratulations, Mom-of-the-Year!
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