Dear Amazing Moms,
It’s not every day you receive a letter that feels like it’s been sent from a bygone era, yet that’s what karma often embodies—a concept I shared with you during your formative years. This message isn’t about “I told you so.” Instead, it’s a gentle reminder to infuse a bit of empathy into your parenting journey with my beloved grandchildren. The best parenting strategies often come from understanding what’s going on inside our children’s minds. I like to call this blend of empathy and discipline “Empapline”—a term that, amusingly, sounds like a new antibiotic.
When you find your little ones’ bedrooms resembling a tornado’s aftermath, I urge you to reflect on your own childhood. Remember those times when I would repeat my motto, “Always leave a room better than you found it”? You might have thought I was nagging, but I hope you can recall those moments with a smile instead of frustration.
I remember how, during those summers when you would spend weeks away with your dad, I’d lament how the house seemed to clean itself in your absence. Then you’d return, and it would swiftly descend into chaos again! When your children nod in agreement and then do the complete opposite, just know you’re part of a long lineage of mothers whose heads feel like they might explode from the pressure.
Exercise patience when my grandkids turn mundane moments into dramatic disputes over a mere glance. You know why it happens, and I trust you’ll find a way to diffuse the situation before you feel like a she-devil.
As you navigate their shouts of “I didn’t do it!” or “It wasn’t me!” remember that these phrases echo through the ages of motherhood. All moms face them, including those with just one child.
Rest assured, my grandbabies won’t wish for another mother or claim that someone else has it better. And when the teenage years arrive, filled with half-truths and omissions, try to take it lightly. They’re likely just trying to spare you from unnecessary worry.
When your little ones proclaim there’s “nothing to eat” despite a fridge full of eggs, bread, and berries, understand their language. What they mean is there’s nothing unhealthy, already prepared, and waiting.
Don’t lose hope when they ask you the same question repeatedly within a few hours. You’ll soon discover that the statute of limitations on a “no” answer is remarkably short—around 12 minutes, at least until they reach 16!
Keep your spirits high! You’ve blossomed into strong, intelligent women, and I couldn’t be prouder. Even in the toughest moments, the sun will shine through, and your children—my grandchildren—will thrive just as you did.
Karma will come and go, bringing with her renewed strength and purpose each time. Remember, Empapline! When you see me smiling serenely, know it’s filled with love and admiration for you and my grandchildren, while I chuckle inwardly.
With all my love,
Mom