Forty-six years into it, I’m still working on being a good mother. I’ve had a lot of jobs over my (blessedly) long life, but being a mother is the hardest. It’s also the most important.

Here are some of the lessons I have learned.

1. There is no perfect mother.
2. There is no perfect child.
3. You can still aspire to being either (1) or (2).
4. Have important (but easy) rules while they grow up, like
   1. Two cookies at lunch; three cookies at dinner.
   2. Soft drinks only on the weekends (except at friends’ houses)
   3. Limited TV on school nights. (If my children were young now, it would be “No phones at the dinner table and no phones in the bedroom overnight.”)
   4. “Ask your father.” doesn’t work.
   5. Two serious sports a year is enough.
5. And once they are grown up
   1. Don’t call them.  Wait for them to call you.
   2. Unconditionally love whoever loves them.
   3. Be careful what you ask.
   4. Manage your expectations.

If you are lucky you will eventually be rewarded with grandchildren. They’re a lot easier.

Happy Mother's Day