On Being a Mom

My husband was recently in China on a business trip for the first time.  While he was there, he was working in a manufacturing plant and had a conversation with a Chinese man about his family.  When this man learned that we have 9 children, he told my husband, "I envy you."  I'm sure you know that in China, the government only allows each couple to have one child; a second child brings heavy taxes and a third child is unthinkable.  I have known about this repression for a long time but hearing about this man's reaction made it more personal and caused me to realize I have taken the freedom to have children for granted. 

 

I have always wanted a large family. When I was young, I read "Cheaper by the Dozen" and that was my ambition--a dozen children.  It's not looking like we're going to make it to that number but I'm okay with that.  Despite growing up as the oldest of 11 children, I was seriously clueless about the amount of work a child involved.  Then I had my first and realized, this is much harder than it looks!  I have been guilty of complaining about the amount of work involved in raising children.

Many people in this country think you are weird if you have a large family.  I have gotten plenty of stares with my children out in public, especially outside of Utah.  We lived in Germany for a year with 8 children and the Germans we met were so positive about our large family. But that same year, we went somewhere and met some Americans who made fun of me for my large family.

But I have a strong belief in the importance of children, that having children is one of the reasons we are here on earth.  I am so grateful to be a mother.  I am grateful for my religion that teaches me that having children is important and worth it.  I see the great things my adult children are doing with their lives and it feels so rewarding.

I am not a perfect mother and I will never be one.  But I will keep trying and I will try harder to enjoy each day I have with my children.  Happy Mother's Day!