My mom went through hell and back raising me. I honestly don't know how she did it!!

Along keeping me fed, dealing with financial needs, being patient during my hormonal teenage years, and just being there for me, I realize how much my parents have done for me.

Here are three distinct memories I have of my mother and me, that if I was my own child, I would not have the patience for:

1. I HATED PRE-SCHOOL.

I honestly don’t remember why exactly. It wasn’t the teacher, it wasn’t my classmates, it really wasn’t anything in particular. I just hated going. I cried each and every morning, making excuses to stay home. One of my excuses, in particular, was that I had to go home to change my shoes because they were too small and didn’t fit me anymore.

It was a ridiculous excuse because shoes can’t suddenly change sizes in one morning! But my younger self cried and cried claiming that I had to go home to change my shoes. My mom tried to convince me to go to school, but after a while, as the understanding mother that she was, she made a deal with me instead. The deal was that if I went back home to change my shoes, that I would come back to preschool without any complaints.

My younger self agreed, knowing that it would at least delay my time at school. That morning, she took me all the way back home, just so that I could change shoes and she drove me all the way back. Each morning was a new excuse I came up with, that my mom had to deal with.

2. AM I FAT?

In high school, as a self-conscious teen girl, I cared about my weight and my image. My body weight would fluctuate like a yo-yo when I was in high school. Within 2 weeks, my weight ranged within a 15 pounds difference. I would always go to my mom and asked her if I looked like I had gained weight.

So, you would think the obvious right answer was “Of course not!!” But as a self-conscious teen, if my mom said that, I got mad and replied, “You’re lying to me!!! So the next time I asked her, “Do you think I gained weight?” She tried the opposite way and replied in a sweet, joking manner, “maybe a little over here” while pitching my thighs.

As a self-conscious teen, I got mad that my mom thought that I’m fat! Now looking back, I don't know what I would have done with a child like me because there was just no right answer!

3. BAD BOYFRIEND

One year in high school I started hanging out with a boy who wasn’t a good influence. I started coming home later, picking fights with my mom, speaking less about my day, and adopting bad habits. Mother knows best and just wanted the best for me. I remember my mom always being so worried about me and always trying to give me advice. As a teenager, I just wanted to experience life and be free.

I would always get into fights with my mom about the curfew, would always ignore her concerns saying they sounded like a lecture. Yet my mom always waited for me until I came home and she always encouraged me and lifted me up through it all. And of course, she was right there for me when after three months, I finally realized what I wanted in a relationship and that it wasn’t this. She was right all along and she showed me how much she cared for me even while watching me make wrong decisions and was there for me when I came back.

Today, my mom and I are best friends and I tell her almost everything.

And the reason why I share these bratty moments I've had is that now my mom and I share and laugh at memories like these! She said it was hard in the moment but funny now looking back just because of how ridiculous they all sound.

And for me, I’m forever grateful for my patient, loving, and understanding mother. Along with feeling so so bad, I appreciate how, through it all, I was able to feel how much she cared and loved me! Thank you, Mommy, for dealing with me and I love you!!