You already know exactly who the mother amongst your best friends is. There’s one in every group – hey, chances are, if you’re reading this then it’s probably you. There’s no denying that they exist, and there are articles on articles on articles spelling out exactly how to pick Mom out of a line-up.
With these articles, though, come many stereotypes and even some issues that can be concerning. Beyond the easily recognizable overstuffed purse, well-organized planner and passion for coupons, these articles cite a need to “people-please” rather than the need to “self-please.” They remain adamant that these girls and women give too much to receive too little, and that that’s indicative of low self-esteem.
Well.
As a self-proclaimed Mom, I’m here to tell you that among my well-stocked snack supply, extra sweater and great ability to give advice exists several benefits to the role I play. Which brings me to the first point…
1. You Literally Always Have Everything You Could Ever Need
Stereotype or not, one rarely sees a Mom without a small convenience store packed neatly away in whatever bag she’s carrying. Realistically, this is because your friends are always in need of something – a pencil, Chapstick, water, a snack – but when it boils down to it, that stuff is for you, too. Cold in class? You’ve got a sweater for that. Hands feeling a little dry? Good thing you threw that travel-sized lotion in your backpack. I’ve definitely survived off of the granola bars I keep in my backpack for friends who don’t eat breakfast when I was forced to skip a meal to get schoolwork done.
2. Parents – Real Parents – Adore You
Give yourself a pat on the back, girl. You’ve earned it. After all, you pretty much are the model friend, at least in the eyes of your friends’ parents. Your natural aura of responsibility combined with your practically squeaky clean track record makes you a perfect candidate for tagging along on family vacations, crashing Sunday dinners and generally assimilating into your best friends’ lives. No parent is going to object to having an angel like you around. And while we’re on the subject of parents…
3. Your Own Parents Never Worry About You
Let’s face it. If you’re good enough to keep a bunch of college kids together, chances are that you were a good kid. Your parents definitely know this, and they know they’ve got nothing to worry about. You could probably get away with murder at this point. Not that I suggest trying that out, but still.
4. Your Planner Rivals The Organization Of The U.S. Secret Service
You haven’t missed a homework assignment since 2005, you’re always the first to wish someone a happy birthday on Facebook and you’ve taken to color-coding your life, all thanks to your planner. Sure, sometimes you have nightmares about having to either save your agenda or your friends from a burning building, but it keeps you on track. You never miss a thing. Which reminds me…
5. You’re Never Lost/Late/Generally Confused
Being a Mom means being equipped with the necessities: mainly, an internal clock that’s potentially 99% more accurate than your Apple Watch and a GPS that literally never fails. You have very rarely known the utter panic that follows with making too many wrong turns and ending up on the wrong side of town because you hardly leave the house without Google Mapping the surrounding area and planning at least three different potential routes in case traffic is heavy. Not to mention you’re also always early. Tardy? What’s that?
6. You Always Get To Pick Your Destination
Trying to plan an outing with a group of people is nearly impossible. Everyone has different opinions and needs that have to be met, but when it comes down to make a decision, the whole group suddenly gets cold feet and you’re left playing the, “Where do you wanna eat?”
“I dunno,” game for the next two hours. Never fear, though. Mom to the rescue. Your friends all trust your judgments in food, shopping, movies and anything else that requires a verdict. Feeling Chipotle over Panera? No worries – it won’t take much convincing until your friends feel the same. Speaking of going places…
7. You’re Never Subjected To Terrible Car Rides
One of the seemingly biggest downsides to playing Mother Goose to your girlfriends is the amount of time you spend driving them around. Whether you’re the DD or your car is volunteered for the summer road trip, people never seem to comprehend why you’re so cool with spending all that time behind the wheel. Look at it this way – you never have to be squished into the middle seat for long rides. You get to pick the soundtrack and control the temperature. Also, you’re kind of an awesome driver, so you and your passengers aren’t spending the entire journey clutching the seat out of fear.
8. You’ve Practically Already Earned A Nursing Degree
It seems like every other week, your friends are coming to you with different ailments and symptoms looking for answers. You’ve probably seen some things you really, really wish you could unsee, and you’ve caught a few colds in the process, but it’s all been worth it. Never again will you have to sit in student health services, sniffling miserably just to have to drop $80 on an appointment where their only prescription is to tell you to drink plenty of fluids. You’ve seen it all, and if you don’t already have the recipe for a home remedy stored in your head, you’ve got half of CVS stored in your medicine cabinet.
9. Holiday Shopping Is A Breeze
While everyone else is panicking over the last-minute hunt for the perfect gift, you know you’ll be sitting back sipping on your peppermint mocha. Not only have you been shopping for months – you wrote it down in your planner, after all – but you have the benefit of Mom Memory. That dress your friend adored but didn’t have the money for six weeks ago? You remembered the store, size, and price in the blink of an eye and picked it up a week later. Arbitrary facts about shoe size, nail polish color preference, and taste in movies are all conveniently filed away during the year to be brought back out just in time for holiday shopping.
10. You’re Just A Really Great Friend
All jokes aside, becoming the mom of your friend group can be a big task. You take on other people’s stress, put yourself in situations that you probably would be better off not in, and shoulder a lot of drama in order to help resolve conflicts. You do it for a reason, though, and that’s because you love your friends. While it’s a heavy weight for you to take on someone’s trust, sometimes, it can be even heavier for your friends to give it over. Having someone’s trust and keeping it goes a long way, and I doubt your friends will be forgetting that anytime soon.
