Today is Mother’s day.

The malls are filled with stores that offer Mother’s day specials. Restaurants have a full course meal set especially for mothers. The flower shops are extraordinarily busy today. One friend bought perfume for her mom, another one bought her mom’s favorite bag.

I am a mom. One of the best gifts I got today was time. I got to spend time with my hubby and my kids. I was also able to visit my own mom. But what truly made my day - was one message I indirectly received. A message my husband made especially for me.

To all mothers out there like me: Happy Mother’s Day!!!

By no means am I or we (my husband and I) the perfect parents. But in the world today, there seems to be a growing number of irresponsible parents. I talk about those who carelessly live their own lives and often at the risk (knowing or unknowing) of the safety of their own children.

Here are some examples of what I witness every day:

I don’t get it. Here I am trying so hard to protect my kids from the tiniest bit of harm, at least as much as I can. But then I see kids here and there - obviously lacking in guardians and supervision. And I ask myself - is there something I can do?

I got this survey from Christianne from the Pinoymoms network and decided to respond.

1. What is your comfort food?

My comfort food is french fries and pepsi max.

2. Do you have a ritual before going to sleep, and upon waking up? Please share them.

Yes. At night - Take out my contacts, clean out my face, put on night cream/s, turn on the night light, read a magazine and dare I say…
Upon waking up - put up my hair, get bathing stuff, put on hot water for coffee, drink coffee while surfing the net, watch “Unang Hirit“, before taking a bath.

3. How many brothers and sisters do you have, and how many children do you have or plan to have?

I have 1 older brother and 2 younger sisters. I have 2 little boys and would love 1 more hoping for a girl but I dont think I will have any more.

4. If you, your husband, and kids are the only people in the house, do you still close the bathroom door when you do Number 1?

Before no. But now with a “makulit” 4 year old, I have to.

5. What are your favorite websites? (not including other PMN blogs)

My favorite sites are listed here.

6. What is the best book you have read in the past year?

Life Swap by Jane Green.

7. Do you have an online gallery of your family’s photos and is it viewable by the general public, or do you keep access to it restricted to people you know?

Yes I do have an online gallery and some albums are viewable by the general public.

Where do you take your kids to get their hair cut?

When my eldest turned 1-yr old, I looked for a hair salon or barbershop that catered to kids as I knew it would be difficult to get him to agree to a haircut. Luckily, I found Kidz Hair Salon at the 4th Floor of Robinson’s Galleria. That was almost 3 years ago.

Today, the store is still open and business is booming. I just brought my youngest this morning to get his hair shaved for his first birthday (which is today) party this afternoon.

I must say - the salon has improved. The place has been fixed up and the play area is bigger (and cleaner). The guy who cuts hair is still the same guy I have seen from years before. The TV/s has been upgraded to flat screens and the collection of CDs has been updated.

Although pricey than most barbershops but cheaper than my own salon, it was worth it as always. The staff are very friendly and know how to handle kids well. Even when they are bawling their eyes out all the time that their hair is being cut.

It will be Mother’s day in a couple of weeks. It makes me think about my mom.

I have always been at odds with my mom. Maybe it is true what most experts say - that mothers and their relationships with their daughters become complex because they love each other so much. Mothers have great influence over their daughters and it is a fact that a casual comment can make even grown women cower in tears. I know my mother has that affect on me and my sisters. I guess being women, we look up to our mothers from the day we were born.

More than once I vowed not to be like my mom. I promised myself that when I get married and have kids I wouldnt be like my mom.

Now I am a mother myself and I see myself turning into my own mother. And it is not a bad thing. In retrospect, I realized that I wouldnt be like anyone else except her. Why? Because she has been a major part of my life for the past 31 years and her presence in it has not diminished - even if I have physically moved out of the old folks’ house. It is because of her that I am what I am now - well, a more enhanced version if I must say.

Here are some things I feel I have inherited from my mom:

• resilience
• patience
• ability to love unconditionally
• service
• resourcefulness
• strength
• unbreakable spirit
• flexibility
• obsessive compulsiveness
• courteousness
• willingness

There are a lot more I could list down if not for my lack of expertise in vocabulary. My only regret is that I did not inherit her strong sense of what’s right and the courage to stand up for it.

Oh I do have the courage to stand up for what I believe in. But sometimes, what I believe in may not always be right.

So you see, I did end up like my mom. But is that so bad?

I love you mom. Happy mother’s day!