This year I’m celebrating my second Mother’s Day as a mama. I know, real veteran, right? I don’t even pretend to have something on the rest of you mamas out there but I can say that being a mother has changed me as a speech therapist, dare I even say, made me better.
Our experiences shape us as therapists. It’s something we often don’t realize or think about. Each experience uniquely etches itself on our hearts and molds the way we do therapy. Being a mama is like picking up those little tinted glasses on the counter and seeing the world through them. It changes everything.
- For one, I have loads more empathy. I now dread IEP meetings, not because of the massive amount of paperwork (although this plays a part), but because I feel the pain of the person sitting across the table from me. I see the sadness in their eyes as every.single.person around the table takes turns saying everything their child can’t do. Being a fellow mama has given me courage to hug that parent, ask if I can do anything for them, and speak praises of everything their child can do.
- I ‘m a lot less judgmental. Admittedly, during my pre-mama stage I would often think “If only the parents would work more with their child, they would be making so much more progress.” However, sometimes, it doesn’t matter how much work is done, progress can STILL be slow. And…there are nights that I too am too exhausted to read or work with my sweet Aisy-babe. Sometimes, just making dinner and making it to her bedtime is an accomplishment.
- I’m more resilient to noises and smells. Being a mama is messy and loud work. Having a baby who cried the entire first 3 months of her life has decreased my sensitivity and annoyance to loud noises. In addition, we mamas have had our share of blow-outs, spit-up and boogers so a few more is no cause for alarm.
- I work harder. Not that I didn’t work hard for my students before I was a mama, but I better understand the fear of giving over your child to a complete stranger. Every week, I drop Aislyn off at daycare hoping that she’ll receive love and kindness. The fear is the same with our parents. Instead of just getting frustrated, I’m more opt to stop and think, “What would I do if this were my child?”
Happy Mother’s Day to all you mamas out there! A special prayer for those of you who would like to someday be mamas. 🙂
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KaMarlowete says
May 9, 2015 at 8:48 pmI had an almost-one year old when I began undergrad, and I worked 3-4 part-time jobs in addition to earning 2 bachelor’s degrees. In grad school, my husband and I had our second (and last) child, so it’s taken me (so, so, so, so) much longer to finish grad school than I’d planned, but now that I’m finishing, I don’t regret those slow years. I feel like I can offer something a little different because of the way I learned, and the only reason I learned differently than my cohort(s) is because I was parenting, too. I also think Speech-language pathology and mothering go hand-in-hand, don’t you? It just feels so natural. And when people were astonished that my 2 year olds used 4-word sentences and corrected others’ use who/whom, I’d laugh and explain that’s what they got for having and (almost) SLP as a momma. This picture is exquisite.
Nicole Allison says
May 11, 2015 at 1:32 pmYou’ve kept busy for sure! I definitely agree that the two go hand in hand. Congrats on making it through school with children-that is quite an accomplishment!
Jennifer says
May 14, 2015 at 5:36 pmYes, and Yes! I have been thinking this recently myself. I had my first child in July and actually landed on the other side with my son being diagnosed with a stroke a day after he was born. I have a better understanding of how parents feel when their child is struggling. God blessed me because my little boy is developing right on-target, but I will continue to be his biggest advocate and support if he needs it down the road. Take care, mama and thanks for this post.
Nicole Allison says
May 14, 2015 at 7:44 pmTHank you so much for this! I’m so glad God placed your little boy in your arms-he has a good mama watching out for him! It’s good for us to sometimes see “the other side.” Blessings to you and your little one 🙂
Mary Boettcher says
June 11, 2015 at 7:25 pmI too feel it difficult to rattle off the list of things the kiddos cannot do! I always start with stating the positive; that is what we were taught, right?!
I especially find those parents who are the MOST vunerable are those going through the process for the first time; especially their older child who struggled for years. Although, I have seen relief on faces to finally know what the problem is and that help is on the way 🙂
Andrea says
May 14, 2017 at 11:19 pmHappy Mother’s Day! As a school SLP who found out this year that having my own children wouldn’t be happening for me, I can honestly say that that experience has made me a better SLP for many of the reasons you shared. I decided to pour my love and effort into my students and have found such happiness in SLP as a result. I know I’ll never understand how my parents feel first hand but I always try to give them confidence that I care for their child and see all their wonderful strengths!