by Joanne Smith

Created on: October 24, 2008   Last Updated: August 26, 2010

Growing up I watched the women wearing fancy bold jewelry and stylish clothing heading off to work. I noticed the importance of a travel mug filled with coffee as cars streamed past my window, although my own parents didn't use them. I learned a lot from watching those other moms going to work. Their nails were painted beautiful colours and their make-up was always just so. They packed lunches or even more exciting to me as a child, they bought them and ate at interesting restaurants. They talked about important meetings and meeting business partners and were always in such a rush. This is a lingo my own mother never used.

My mother took care of the children of those busy mothers who raced into our home in the morning, kissing their children good-bye as they skidded out the door to avoid the heavy traffic they were going to be facing.

My mother never wore stylish clothing when we were at home. The paint and play dough she immersed herself in would have ruined them. Although my mother was accustom to wearing jewelry it was never dangly inc ase one of the babies in her care, grabbed hold of them as she bounced them on her knee. My mother's hands were often painted beautifully but not in the way other mom's had there's done. My mother's hands displayed ink from helping with homework and red from food colouring that she used when making cookies.

My mornings looked different from the children that surrounded me growing up. I woke up to the gentle call of my mothers voice and the smell of breakfast waiting for me downstairs. I was always greeted with the relaxation of not having to rush from the house or have to be taken from a nice warm bed and thrown into the elements on the way to the babysitters.

The children in my mother's care loved her dearly and I prided myself in knowing that she was my mother. When I tired of listening to the other children I escaped into my own room, but this rarely happened when there were so many interesting things going on with the kids downstairs.

My life growing up with a mother who had after school snack prepared for us, and healthy dose of TLC available no matter what day of the week it was my norm.

By the time I moved away and went to college I had been barraged by images of what a real working mom looked like. They had manicured nails and fancy haircuts. They wore expensive perfume and knew how to take care of themselves. Commercials showcased how gifted working - women were at creating meals and helping with homework while maintaining

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>