My Sweet Child,

Although I am the parent, YOU are my greatest teacher.

You taught me that there is no more beautiful sound than the sound of your child’s laughter.
You taught me that your hugs are worth more than any gift.
You taught me that it is okay to make mistakes.
You taught me that the love between a parent and a child is unconditional.

You taught me to slow down, enjoy the moment, and just be.
You taught that there is no such thing as being a perfect mother.
You taught me that I needed to learn to love myself so that I could teach you to love yourself.
You taught me that nothing I imagined could prepare me for being a mother.

You taught me that being a parent requires endless patience and lots of coffee.
You taught me to erase any notion I had of what parenting is supposed to be.
You taught me that becoming a mother meant I would never go to sleep again without worrying and feeling guilty.
You taught me that it is possible for your heart to burst with love.

You taught me that motherhood is about thinking you’ve got it all figured out, only to realize you will always have new things to learn.
You taught me that the best moments are the simple ones: snuggling with you, telling jokes, and holding your hand in mine.
You taught me that your smile is the best medicine in the world.
You taught me that you don’t need a perfect mom; you need a mom who loves you and supports you.

You taught me that motherhood is messy, hectic, unpredictable, chaotic, and absolutely beautiful, all rolled into one.

Most of all, you taught me that the gift of motherhood is 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑜𝑢𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠.

I will carry these lessons in my heart 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓.

Love always,
Mom

This was previously written on the author's Facebook page. Randi is the creator of Surviving Mom Blog. You can find her on Facebook here and on Instagram here.