Mothers: Our First Teachers
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Growing up with my mother, who was a teacher, was a double blessing I didn’t realize until I was older.
Every weekend my mom took my brother and me on some type of learning excursion, whether it was a trip to the museum or simply a walk in the park. Even when the school year ended, the learning continued with swim lessons, service projects, and weekly book reports.
As a child I always asked my mom why we had to do school work over the summer, and why we couldn’t just have fun. Her reply:
“No children of mine are going to have their brains turn to mush.”
Back then I didn’t appreciate her push for constant learning, but as an adult who has also been a teacher and now works for an organization that cares about quality learning opportunities for all children, I appreciate my mother’s drive to make sure my brother and I were always learning.
Children born to mothers with less than 12 years of education are more likely to grow up in poverty, have difficulty in school, and be at a higher risk for teen pregnancy and involvement in the criminal justice system. Mothers do more than just nurture us, they are our very first teachers. Therefore it’s critical that before women become mothers that they at least graduate from high school and, ideally, gain some post-secondary education.
Mothers play such a large role in the future success of their children. So this mother’s day give your mother or mother figure in your life and extra thank you for not only loving and nurturing you, but for being your very first teacher and for giving you a head start on learning.
Happy Mother’s Day!