Since Mother’s Day is just around the corner, I wanted to celebrate our moms with a blog post. For many of us, our moms were our first teachers. From the first moment we were born, our mothers held us close and taught us how to love. When we began to crawl, they helped us discover a world of new things. Then, we got a little older; they continued to teach us right from wrong, left from right, practical life lessons, and even a cliché or two that we can’t seem to get out of our heads. As adults, we have our own unique perspectives on the world, but those perspectives wouldn’t be the same without our moms.
As for me, my mother is the most important person in my life. Whether the news is good or bad, I always call her first. She has taught me so many things that it is almost impossible to summarize it in just one paragraph. I know my strong personality and work ethic come from my mom. She has taught me to love life and seize the moment in every possible way: travel the world, explore the outdoors, grab every educational opportunity, read books, laugh often, and enjoy my time with family. She was my role model growing up, and she still is because she completes an impossible amount of work with a joke, a laugh, and a smile on her face. I learned this attitude from my mother, and I am forever grateful.
After thinking about my mom and what she taught me, I asked the rest of the staff at MathWizard what they learned from their moms. Their stories will make you smile, especially if you’re a mom or have a special mom in your heart!
- Stay Patient.
My mom has taught me the value of patience. As I came to be a mother of two energetic little boys, I’ve developed a great respect for the tremendous amount of patience that my mom had while raising my brothers and me. I aspire to have the same continuous patience as my own kids grow and learn to become more independent.
-Carmi D., At Home Learning Assistant
- Education is Important.
My mother has taught me, “Education is very rewarding; keep learning and you will not only be successful, but also respected.”
-Komal S, Teacher
I remember my mom teaching me how to tell time on an analog clock. When I moved from Toledo, OH, to Waco, TX, at the beginning of 2nd grade, I was miles behind a lot of the other students academically. Soon after the school year started, my 2nd grade teacher gave us a review worksheet on telling time because she knew that reading analog clocks was covered at that school in 1st grade. Since I had no idea how to do it, I did very poorly on that worksheet. What I remember about my mother is her sitting me down and teaching me how to tell time. When I’m working with younger students who are struggling with telling time, I tell them that I really struggled with it too, but that they can do it!
-Wes T., Teacher
My mom taught me how important it was to have a college education. She became a single mother and told me that she wouldn’t have survived without it. It made me strive to get my education so that I would have it to fall back on if the need came up. I am happy I did so!
-Jenna S., At Home Learning Assistant
Even though my dad was an engineer by profession, it was my mom, a homemaker, who was instrumental in solidifying my fundamentals in both math and language (English, Hindi, and Sanskrit). I remember spending countless hours with her on the kitchen table, while she cooked and I learned. I owe my command on the two disciplines to her. Who knew, at that time, that this love for learning will culminate into a love for teacher?
Meenal S., Co-Founder
- Stay Strong and Work Hard.
My momma taught me all about hard work. She lost her mom when she was a young girl, and she quickly became the woman of the house, helping to raise her two younger sisters. She always worked long days whether it was in the home or at her job. I was very fortunate growing up to have such a strong, hardworking woman as a role model. She is a tough woman and I love her dearly!
-Debra G., Human Resources Manager
Something my grandma told me growing up is that you should work hard to prove yourself. You can achieve anything you set your mind to. But to make sure you enjoy life along the way.
-Nichole A., At Home Learning Manager
Growing up, I had three “mothers.” My family is matriarchal, so strong women surrounded me. My grandmother was one of the biggest influences in my life. She was strong willed, independent and outspoken. She taught all of us right from wrong very early and expected nothing but the best from us. She made sure that an education was a need, not a right! She raised her children with the same expectations; although they faltered at times, they did their very best. My mom and my aunt were also influential in different ways. Growing up poor, my mother taught me how to survive with little, and my aunt gave me the freedom to be me. My aunt taught me about stable family life, structure, and unconditional love! Our neighborhood was tough, the men in our lives were tough, but the women were tougher. From these women, I learned so much from their experiences and wisdom as well as their will to survive, that I know without them, I would not be the person I am today. I learned to be open minded, say what I feel, be gentle when needed, and to always care about others. Never take what you have for granted, and if it is taken from you, get back up to fight another day!
-Pam C., Lead Teacher
- Always be Kind.
My mom taught me, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.”
-Emily K., Lead Teacher and Writer
- Learn to Laugh through the Hard Times.
My mom always loved the saying “Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain.” I never really quite understood the philosophy until I was diagnosed with cancer at age 40. This became my mantra, and the way I still live my life now.
-Amy D., Marketing Manager
My mom taught me that laughter is the best medicine.
-Janelle H., Marketing and Center Assistant
- Cook and Eat Well.
My mom taught me to always serve a vegetable. Potatoes and corn don’t count!
-Emily K., Lead Teacher and Writer
When I was about 9 years old, my mom taught me how to eat spicy food. She also taught me how to make sambal, a traditional Indonesian hot chili paste. Seventeen years later, I still love eating spicy food especially with my homemade sambal.
-Elaine T., Lead Teacher and Writer
- Create and Grow Great Things.
My mom often made our Halloween costumes. One year, I asked my mom to help make me into a teapot. It was a difficult costume to make, and in the end, it did not turn out as expected. Somehow the spout moved a little too much, and everyone thought I was a vacuum cleaner instead! Nonetheless, it was a great costume and a lot of fun to make with my mom.
-Celeste I., Editor
My mom taught me to love gardening when I was just a little kid. I appreciate the hard work that goes into cultivating gardens, and one day I hope to have space to have my own.
-Nicole A., Program Manager
It’s difficult to express our gratitude for our mothers in just a few sentences, but we wanted show our love towards our mothers and towards all mothers out there. Thank you for what you do!
What has your mom taught you? Let us know in the comments!
Author: Becky Adams, English Program Manager, MathWizard
