The ironic part of moving out and becoming an "adult" is that only then do you truly realize how much you need your parents. You quickly go from fighting with your mother every day because you're "too grown up to be told what to do," to wishing your mom was there to give you a little guidance. In honor of Mother's Day, here are 20 things we forget to thank our mother's for in our 20s.
1. For being your emergency cookbook
Whether you're calling her to ask how to boil water or how to poach an egg, cooking was always a lot easier when your mother was doing it for you. Now that you're on you own, you find yourself calling her way more than anticipated for cooking help. And frantically resorting to Google if she doesn't answer.
2. For teaching you how to do your own laundry
After watching my roommates and boyfriend struggle to do theirs, I'm so glad I was forced to learn how to do my own laundry. Nothing feels better than knowing you have a clean pair of pajamas waiting for you after a long day of college.
3. For being your own personal WebMD
No matter how old you get, you will always want your mom when you're sick. From reminding you to take Advil to assuring you that "you're not going to die, you only have the flu," your mom is always there with the right advice when you're sick.
4. For always being the voice of reason
I don't know how many times my mom has had to remind me that everything is going to be okay when I'm panicking over school or work or an internship. Even though you know everything will be fine, it just seems way more plausible and reassuring when you hear it from your mom.
5. For loving you unconditionally
Of all of the people in your life, your mother is one of the few that will love you no matter what stupid, awful, crazy or selfish things you do.
6. For always picking up the phone when you are crying at 2 am
This may seem oddly specific, but I can almost guarantee that it has happened to every single one of us at some point in our 20s. Without fail, your mother is always there to answer your call and listen to you blubber for an hour or two until you calm down enough to sleep. Which leads me to my next point...
7. For always being there to give you advice
Be it about boys, roommates, school, jobs, etc., your mother is your go-to gal for advice about literally anything. As a teen, you probably shrugged it all off, but now as an adult, you're practically begging for her guidance.
8. For somehow always knowing exactly what you need
Whether it's a text of encouragement during a long day or a surprise package with chocolate and toilet paper, moms always seem to know exactly what you need before you do.
9. For not holding your teenage years against you
Moms deal with a lot when raising us, but the worst is probably those teenage angst years. We all said and did things to our mother that we didn't mean and completely regret now. These angels don't hold it over our heads, though they totally could and probably should because, let's face it, we were all awful.
10. For stopping you from doing some crazy things to your body during said years
As cool as I thought it would be to get a nose ring and a skull tattoo at 18, I'm so glad my mom talked me out of it. Though it may have seemed like she was being a buzzkill at the time, your mom knew you would get tired of your chosen body modification and regret it within weeks.
11. For being your personal stylist
On the rare occasion that you're not wearing sweatpants to class, dressing like an adult is hard. Luckily your mom is only a text away to approve an outfit, be it for an interview, a date or a wedding.
12. For sending you emergency funds
Again, adulting is hard. Just because you have a job in your 20s doesn't mean you're making enough money to support yourself, especially if you're going to school too. Thankfully, you mom is always there to help you out when you're coming up short on your budget.
13. For never judging you
Moms see us at our best and at our absolute worst, but they manage to take everything in stride. They don't judge us when we haven't showered in a week or cleaned our room in a month. And they understand that sometimes what we really need is to go back to bed and avoid being an adult for a few more hours.
14. For showing us that we can do anything
If your mom can raise three kids, you can survive finals week. If she can cook three meals a day for picky eaters, you can roll yourself out of bed to make some ramen. Sometimes a moms' best encouragement comes from them just being them.
15. For being the best drinking buddy ever
One of the best things about being in your 20s is that you can finally enjoy a glass of wine with your mom. Chances are it's the first time you've had wine that isn't from a box. Who else can you casually drink with while cleaning or watching True Blood on Blu-Ray?
16. For passing on her great genes
When you were a teen, the worst thing someone could say to you was "you look so much like your mother!" Now that you're older, you're so thankful that she passed on her good looks to you.
17. For sacrificing so much for you
Whether it was not finishing college or losing hours of sleep, your mom has sacrificed so much to help you get to where you are today.
18. For teaching you to break barriers
Your mom taught you to stand up for yourself and to fight for what's right. You may have thought she was just being pushy as a child, but now in your 20s, you realize that she was molding you into the strong, independent adult that you are today.
19. For never getting annoyed when you constantly bug them
Most of the items on this list involve calling your mother in a panic, but she never seems to get mad. She always happily answers your calls and texts and will listen to you for hours. No matter what she's doing, she always makes time for you.
20. For being your best friend
All of the silly fights you two got into during your teenage "anti-parent" phase seem irrelevant. You feel lucky to be just like your mom because she's the best person you know. Now that you're in your 20s, your mom is your favorite person to hang out with because you share most of the same interests. She truly has become your best friend and you can't be more thankful to have such an amazing woman to call your mother.
So happy Mother's Day to all of the amazing moms out there! You deserve so much thanks for everything that you do and today is your day to be treated like the queen that you are. Thank you for everything. I love you!
