There are few people as lucky as I in the parent lottery – and one of my goals as an educator is to teach the lessons I learned in my home. With that in mind, here are three lessons I learned from my mom.
- Give as much as you can. Whether it was time, energy, or money, my mom has always been one you could rely on when you needed something. She anchored multiple organizations and was always liberal in her giving. For many, many individual people, she was and is the person they would call – for an ear, for a helping hand, for guidance.
- Eat real food. It is never pedantic or diet-y, but the bulk of the food she cooks is a far cry from what most families serve. Real, delicious, homemade meals prepared with love. She’s easily the best home cook I know; and she knew – long before Michael Pollan clued us all in – that real food prepared with love is a vital part of a happy and healthy life. (That applied to the soup kitchen in Detroit she helped lead for years; she cooked for them with the same love and care that she used for her family.)
- Do what you want. True, fundamental support for people doing what they love: that’s what my mom gave me and my siblings. In April of my senior year of high school, I was at an orientation weekend for Caltech with her. I had my major picked, I had my roommate ready; I had a personal crisis and admitted to myself and her that I wanted to pursue music. In that moment, she said, “No problem.” We flew home, drove to WMU for an onsite admission, and the rest fell into place. Over and over for me and my family, she has encouraged us to pursue what we love.
Give as much as you can.
Eat real food.
Do what you want.
I’m incredibly fortunate to have two amazing, giving parents who have shared countless lessons with me. Not all of our students are so lucky – and it’s our responsibility to share, in clear terms, the kind of lessons they may not be hearing at home.
Live the choices you want to see your children and students make; let them see you make them.