“I’m not going to be like you when I grow up!”
I can’t count the number of times I said that throughout my childhood. My mom drove me absolutely insane.
“Don’t go to bed late.” “Clean your room.” “I’m not going to tell you again….” “Why are you dating him?” “I’m not your maid, do your own dishes.” “Save your money!” “Stop eating out!”
I’m willing to bet it’s something every mom says to their children. The same phrases were passed down through generations of women to aggravate their kids.
She was constantly picking up after the family. Cleaning. Cooking. Running errands. Never really taking time for herself because everyone else needed her more.
I thought I had a plan. I thought I was going to be different than my mother.
Apparently NOT!
After I moved out, I realized just how much my mom and I were alike. I come by it honestly and now, years after claiming to never want to be like, there is nothing I want more.
I started planning my days out.
I made to-do lists. To-do lists. Are you kidding? I used to make fun of her for all the lists she would make. Now what do I do? Make lists. Grocery lists. Shopping lists. Cleaning lists. I make all of them and then some!
When friends come to me with issues, I know what responses they are looking for, yet somehow I end up repeating my mom’s lectures, almost verbatim.
I’ve rifled through her closet because she apparently has great taste in shirts. Who knew? Definitely not me in my teen years.
She taught patience and kindness. When to give in and when to fight.
I don’t know if I could have been given a better role model. She’s been teaching and preparing me for adulthood. Even now, when I call her at least twice a day, she’s still helping me adult. Because adulting is hard.
I used to say, “I don’t want to be like you when I’m an adult.”
Now there is nothing more that I want more.
