What Makes a Good Mother

What makes a good mother?
If you would’ve asked me this question before I gave birth, I would’ve said, “Someone who cares for her kids and their needs; someone who protects her children from pain. A good mother is always there. She’s your best friend, making things easier, better.”
Basically Mary Poppins, not a parent.
A few years into this mothering gig my idea of ‘good’ has shifted. I no longer think a good mother is a pain protector, but someone who prepares her children for the inevitable. She’s not always there, because she’s modeling what a full and complete life looks like for a woman.
A good mother makes mistakes in front of her child’s face and then apologizes in plain sight.
A good mother is honest. She doesn’t lie to her kids or let them win at games. There are lessons to be found in difficulty and defeat.
A good mother doesn’t …