Picture of the Day

  This is a picture that was taken before my son and I attended the Mothers and Sons ball at La Palais Royale (www.palaisroyale.org/) last year in March. We went to Portrait Innovations (http://www.portraitinnovations.com/) where I scheduled a photo-shoot for the two of us. Taking family pictures together and taking vacations are two things that I make sure to do with my son each year. When we went to the ball, we both thought that it was kind of cheesy and thought that it could have been put together better, but because the two of us have learned how to have fun just being together we ended up having a great time. I find that it’s the times when my son and I are just hanging out that he is able to open up to me about certain things. My son has come to see me as not only his mom, but his friend also. We love to do most of the same things and are continually looking for new things to do. I believe that its these things that keep us close and allow us to bond and just enjoy each other, which I believe is important between parents and kids. Doing activities together allows my son and me to continue to learn about each other and to learn new things together. When looking at this picture, I can clearly see what one saying means by saying “pictures are worth more than a thousand words” (author unknown) because I can think of a thousand good thoughts about my son and I, but the thought that stands out the loudest is: best friends forever!

My Son's Best-Mom

In my circle of parents the discussion keeps arising about being our children's parents and also their friends. The group is split about in half with the issue of either being their friend or their parent. One of my friends makes the point that a parent's job is to parent not be their friends, while my take on this is that yes we need to be parents but we also need to be their friends. I believe that there is a time and place to be either one of these, and that a balance of the two is whats needed. Finding this balance is important to me because I'd like for my son to be able to learn right from wrong from me but at the same time know that he can come to me and talk to me about anything that might be wrong with him. I want to know that my son is comfortable talking to me about anything at anytime. Thats a comfort that kids get from their friends, and I want my son to be comfortable with me the same way. Communication is key to having a strong relationship with your child. Being a single mom has made sure that my son and I spend lots of time together and that we do most things just the two of us. This has helped to keep us close and to depend on each other for support and love.
I have friends who are so serious about parenting that they forget to just enjoy having their kids. They are amazing parents that provide well for their kids, and they go to sporting and school events, and do other things that most parents do with their children, but what they don't do is just talk to their children. I talk to my son about everything from him starting puberty and the things boys go through when they start puberty, to the things girls go through in puberty. Now, this is a very uncomfortable topic to be discussing with children, but I am glad that my son is comfortable coming to me with questions about it. I feel some type of special way when he asks about the things that happens to boys and men physically in the morning and is that normal and what can be done, but, I found books on the subject so that I could better explain it to him and now the topic is not so uncomfortable for him or myself, and I am glad to be over that hump in the road.