Stranger's remark at supermarket redefined my maternal duties
In the bustling aisles of a local supermarket, a new mother found herself taking her newborn baby for a walk. As she pushed the shopping cart, her thoughts were filled with concerns about her role as a parent and the future she wished for her son.
The writer, still adjusting to her new life as a mother, was painfully aware that her son would one day go his own way. She constantly questioned whether she was doing a good job and hoped that one day he would call her to share his life.
As she passed by the deli section, an older woman approached. With a melancholic smile, the older woman looked at the baby and said, "Enjoy it. My son doesn't even call me anymore." The writer felt taken aback by the comment, but the words lingered in her mind.
The writer quickly called her aunt to discuss the encounter. Her aunt seemed upset about the older woman's remark, but the writer accepted early in her son's life that he might barely speak to her.
The incident, however, influenced the kind of relationship the writer wanted to have with her son. She knew that there was nothing she could do to prevent her son from eventually leaving the nest and living independently. But she hoped that he would call her once in a while to tell her about his life.
Building a strong and lasting relationship with a child during their childhood and beyond is not an easy task. Key approaches include fostering mutual trust, maintaining open and clear communication, spending consistent quality time, showing empathy, setting appropriate boundaries, and creating secure routines that provide structure and stability.
Through these strategies, parents can nurture a relationship that endures and benefits their child's lifelong development and happiness. The writer was grateful for the encounter with the older woman in the supermarket, as it served as a reminder of the kind of relationship she wanted to cultivate with her son.
The writer's son is now eleven years old, and the writer places him in a shopping cart, covering him with a blanket as they continue their journey through the supermarket. She knows that the time her son is little is limited, but she cherishes every moment, hoping to build a relationship that will feel like a place he'd want to return to as an adult.
What if her son's lifestyle as an adult resembles that old woman's, devoid of regular contact with his mother, despite their home-and-garden deeply intertwined in his memories? The writer hoped that her efforts in cultivating a strong and nurturing relationship would result in a different scenario, one where her son would make it a point to share aspects of his home-and-garden life with her, even if he chooses to spread his wings and fly.
