Now that you occasionally talk, act and maybe even dress like her you’ve probably realised your mum was onto something.

Sometimes I hear myself talking to my kids and wonder if my own mother is in the room.

No matter your relationship with your mum, I bet she said these at some point. And if you’re anything like me, you spent many years trying to deny them ALL.

Nothing prepares you for having kids

It’s not until you spend the night in emergency trying to sleep on a plastic chair, sit through the parent-teacher interview from hell, or another defining parental moment, you really get to experience those emotions. Created purely from your deepest love, with a touch of misery and often frustration and despair.

Life isn’t fair

Have you noticed we spent the first two decades of your life fighting this, and the next two promoting it? If life were fair, we’d be the ones curled up eating ice cream in front of our favourite movie. Completely oblivious, and someone would be magically cleaning the house.

Comfortable shoes might not be classy, but they get the job done

If you’ve ever seen women at the races, you’ll know that walking on stilts needs practice. The older you get, the more comfort becomes a valued commodity. Ain’t nobody got time for stilettos daily when you’re juggling school, food shopping, and sometimes literally jogging into the office so you can pretend you weren’t late.

The greatest thanks as a mother is seeing your kids happy

There’s nothing better than the sound of kids laughing. Why? Because they’re no longer hanging off you demanding chocolate, TV, to go outside to play (or just a straight up trip to Disneyland because it’s worth a crack, right?). They’re just happy, doing their own thing, and it’s beautiful to watch while you eat the chocolate you didn’t let them have.

Kids grow up so fast

They just do. One minute you’re fleeing the front gate on their first day of school with tears streaming down your face, and in the blink of an eye you’re getting graduation photos. Nothing prepares you for the sadness and joy of your kid’s last day at school. Relief, worry, pain and hope all compress into red-rimmed eyes and a puffy nose.

Motherhood means shaping the next generation

Part teacher, nurse, counsellor. Not to mention being the cook, cleaner, taxi-driver, and even jailor! Being a mother is like an apprenticeship, it’s not something you can pick up from a book or a course. Most parents take years to figure out what they’re doing, and even then we ALL feel like we’re “fudging it”.

But the best thing about being a mother? Most of our mistakes aren’t fatal. The best thing about the journey we’re on with our kids, is getting to the other side when they’re adults and looking back at all the memories you made together.

So, next time you hear your mother’s words coming out of your own mouth, stop for a second before you tell yourself off. Maybe it’s just a sign of what a great job you’re doing as a mum.

This post was originally published by Constance Hall on the website, likeaqueen.com and has been shared with full permission.

Rachel Doherty is a social worker, teacher and the founder of Tweens2teen.com.

Follow her on Facebook here.

What do you often hear yourself saying that your mum (or even gran!) used to say?

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