Moms, If You are Going to Slack or be Complacent in Any Area of Life, Don't Let it be Motherhood
Tonya Prewett collaborated along with her three daughters (Madison Prewett Troutt, Mallory, and Mary Mykal) and her husband on The Prew Crew Family Virtues Collection. Today she shares her journey of motherhood with us.
After giving birth, suddenly, you are promoted to Motherhood.
You are given the duty to love, shape, and mold your baby into an adult.
There are no required courses, no degrees, and no training that can adequately prepare you, but still, you must assume this massive responsibility.
You are expected to use your instincts to navigate motherhood.
Instinctively, we know that every child needs the basics like water, food, and shelter to survive, but they need so much more to truly thrive.
On a recent trip to visit my youngest daughter, as I drove back home, I encountered the worst thunderstorm I had ever driven in. It was a monsoon. I couldn't see in any direction. I doubted other drivers could either, so I flipped on my hazard lights and internally began to scream, "Please see me! I need you to see me!"
As I was navigating my way through the sheets of rain, I had an overwhelming epiphany.
It occurred to me that our daughters cry out to us, "See me! I need you to see me! See me for who I am, not who you want me to be. See me in my good times and my low times. See me when I win, see me when I lose. See me when I'm insecure, sad, disappointed, confused, overwhelmed, and feeling hopeless. I need you to see me."
Every child has challenges set before them that they must face and learn to conquer, but as daughters ourselves, we know that young women face some of the strongest attacks, attacks to their identity, worth, body image, mental health, and purpose. To fight against these unique attacks, daughters desperately need mothers who can exemplify strength, encourage them daily, and steward them toward success.
So how do we parent our daughters with purpose and confidence?
How do we make the right decisions and say the right things when raising our daughters? How do we, as mothers, build our daughters up to fight back against even the greatest lies that might stand in the way to discovering their destiny?
If I had to choose one area that has proven most effective in raising my own daughters, I would say affirm your daughter through your words. They may be weak in certain areas but speak to their potential.
You will never regret speaking words of life over your daughters. Trust me, they need to hear it more than you think. Your words have the power to speak to your daughter's destiny or her destruction. Your words will have great impact in building up your daughters' confidence, strength, and courage.
Moms, if you are going to slack or be complacent in any area of life, don't let it be motherhood.
Your daughter is too valuable for you to be just average. She is depending on you to teach her to love. To teach her to dream big. To teach her who she is. To teach her that she is capable. So, it's time to step up, Mom. Your daughter is depending on you.
—Tonya Prewett
