Mother’s Day Reminds Us to Nourish & Care

As Mother’s Day approaches this weekend, I think about all the things we do as a result of our mother’s influence.  We were all brought into this world by a mother and most of us were raised by a mother.  Some of us this Mother’s Day will celebrate and thank our mothers for their role in raising us.  Some of us will be celebrated for giving birth to, or raising, children.  And what a lovely day to have on the calendar – a holiday to celebrate the women who have influenced our lives. 

If you’ve been keeping up with my blog, you know I have been working with a teen girl and her mother.  I have thoroughly enjoyed working with this mother-daughter duo and hope I have somehow enhanced their relationship in a healthy way.  Also, I recently started working with a new client who said she had been thinking about calling me for a while.  However, the final impetus for her to call was when she realized she wanted to be a better influence for her kids so they would grow up to be healthy.  She wanted their eating habits as teens and adults to reflect the good choices she taught them while they are still young.  They are already starting to enjoy healthy recipes I have given her and they enjoy working out with her in the yard!  The oldest actually wants to learn how to do some of the moves with her!  And the food has apparently won over some of the toughest sells in the family – even the extended family! 

My Granny & Granmommie - both nourished & cared for me

Mothers are so often associated with food because that is who we depend on in our first years of life of food and nourishment.  When we think about our comfort food as adults, so many times it goes back to what our mothers or grandmothers fed us as kids.  Whether that food is lasagna or meatloaf, chances are we are comforted less by the actual food and more by the memories and feelings associated with it.  For example, for me, one of my grandmothers cooked three hot meals a day.  She didn’t work outside the home and that is what she loved to do.  She made the best breakfasts – homemade biscuits & jelly and eggs with runny yolks.  To this day, eggs are still a favorite of mine and I eat them very often for dinner.  Also, my mother was a single mom who worked multiple jobs.  While we didn’t have time for many sit-down meals, I can remember eating lots of bananas on the run.  And my maternal grandmother also had a full-time job and I can remember peanut butter being a staple food for both of her and my mother.  As an adult, I eat a banana every day and peanut or almond butter several times a week.  Lucky for me, these foods that I remember so well are not only healthful, but they are super affordable!  But, my point is, as a mother, we all have the opportunity to influence our kids by being good role models.  We often find ourselves doing things simply because our parents did.  To ensure you leave a healthy impression on your kids, make sure they see you eat (and like) lots of vegetables, eat only one piece of (not the entire) cake, and spend more time being active than sitting on the couch or at the desk.  Who says comfort food can’t be vegetable lasagna made with whole grain pasta or turkey meatloaf? 

I also encourage everyone to use this Mother’s Day as an opportunity to recognize the influence each of us is capable to have.  Whether or not you have given birth to or are raising a child, you have the opportunity to influence everyone around you.  The definition of mother as a verb is “to watch over, nourish, and protect” or “to bring up with care and affection”.  So, whether you’re male or female, whether you’ve given birth or not, everyone is capable of “mothering”.  This Mother’s Day, I encourage you to care for those you love by nourishing their bodies while also nourishing their souls.  Each of us will leave our impact on this world and we each have a legacy leave.  Let’s make sure it is a happy one and a healthful one! 

Need help finding ways to nourish and care for your loved ones?  Go to http://www.coachdconsulting.com/Services.html to subscribe to my weekly newsletter!  Or give me a call and I will help you personally!