Interview: A Q&A With My Mom

I interviewed my mom for the May issue's Editor's Note. Here's the complete Q&A with Cora, the undisputed queen of our clan:

I know you are cute,
I know you are funny.
I know you are sweet,
You're a lot like your mummy.

My mom scribbled that little rhyme to me in an autograph book back in my grade-school days, and it makes me smile to this day. Even though these days we live almost 800 miles apart and both of us lead busy lives, she still manages to help me along on this parenting journey, often with incredible wisdom, always with calm and patience, and usually with her trademark wit.

I thought I'd share a bit of her wisdom and humor by conducting a brief Q&A with my mom, who raised three girls and is a grandparent to one young woman (my mom won't let me reveal my niece's age), a 9-year-old girl and a 5-year-old boy.

Why is being a mom so difficult?
Because you have kids. That's what's wrong with this country.

Do you think we moms make raising kids more difficult, or is that our kids' faults?
Of course it's the kids.

Do you think being a mom is fun? Why or why not?
Yes, it's fun just thinking about them knowing that I am still the boss.
No, wait - some of them think they are on a pedestal, too.

What would you consider to be a few of your mothering "mistakes"?
I wish I had not thrown your pinwheel out the car window over the golf course.
I wish I had known that children who put kitties in the refrigerator needed more supervision.
I wish I had kept a closer eye on the kids' dog, before she ate 20 boxes of Camp Fire Girl candy.
I wish I had played more Monopoly with them, rather than finding out that the kids where throwing tomatoes at someone's white convertible passing by on the street.
I wish I had visited the school more so my daughter would not have gotten sent to the principal's office for throwing dirt clods with a boy (Editor's note: That wasn't me).
I wish I had not taken the caramel apples for a Halloween party to Carolyn's class in a Coor's beer box.

What would you consider to be your shining moments as a mom?
When Carolyn earned the top prize for candy sales (thanks, dog).
I did go on a lot of trips with the marching band, against her wishes. You are welcome.
Encouraged the kids to go to college.
Took them on summer vacations to California, Oregon, Texas, Florida, Colorado, Arizona, Wyoming, Bahamas, Mexico and oh, yeah, Las Vegas.
And I sold real estate, all while being a mom.
Whew! I am tired.

What makes a great Mother's Day in your mind?
Having all three of my girls and grandchildren together. If they cannot come, a nice gift will suffice.

Why was Carolyn your favorite child?
Because she is just like me.

Thanks, Mom, and Happy Mother's Day to you and all the moms out there! (Your gift is in the mail.)

A Mother's Love: Animal Instinct

Every time you block the cold wind from your shivering child, make sure he's fed and full before you ever get a bite, hoist him out of a mud hole or teach him an important survival skill like how to open a bag of goldfish crackers without scattering them everywhere, just know that you are biologically hardwired and not at all unique among animal mothers.

We've been positively obsessed with watching the LIFE BBC series that we TiVO'd on PBS (the 11-part set debuts on DVD on June 1), and I've learned more amazing cocktail party facts about the animal kingdom than I could ever hope to scour off the Internet. The BBC folks even put together a little mini-series dedicated to the moms who shoulder the survival of their species by taking their parenting duties as seriously as we humans do (and in some cases, more seriously).

So moms, give yourselves a pat on the back knowing that you're in good company – and that even tadpoles needs a mother's love.