Mother's Day celebrations give us an opportunity to say thank you and acknowledge the sacrifices our Mothers made to raise us. They also provide a moment to reflect upon the important life-lessons we learned from their example. From the moment we were born, it was Mama and her Mother-love that protected us, provided for us and shaped us into the adults we became. For those of us who later became parents ourselves, it undoubtedly guided us along the first steps on our own parenthood journey.

In the spirit of that, on the blog this week, we decided to take a look back at stories from our past and that of some of our friends, to see just how all of us were...

Made by Mama

Deborah

@nannasparks

Work Ethic | Creativity | Resourcefulness | Persistence

My Nan was a resourceful and tenacious woman who raised three children at home alone, while her husband was away fighting in the war. She taught my mother and her older siblings to help her with chores, work hard and contribute to family life. When my Mum was older she would go to work with my Nan as a cleaner. They always valued the importance of hard work and were ambitious and driven, as much as a woman could be in those days, to find ways to provide for the family. It was no surprise to me that once she had children of her own my mother, gifted in creativity, enlisted my help in creating and sewing soft toys to sell to our neighbours and their children to raise extra money when we needed it.

Before Sparks and Daughters even began, my own Daughter Verity would often spend time crafting items with me as a hobby. It really was only a matter of time before we were selling our own creations at local craft fairs. I am thankful for these lessons in hard work and persistence that have been passed down through our family. Sparks and Daughters may never have been as successful as it is without them.

Verity

@mummasparks

Inclusivity | Patience | Encouragement

No matter how small I was, Mum always made sure I felt part of what was going on and that my thoughts and feelings mattered. I was never made to feel that my opinion didn't count, just because I was a child. I always knew that she would listen to me and the way that she always took the time to hear me, never to dismiss me, has taught me to treat others the same.

Now that I am raising my own daughter, I always make sure to give her space and time to express herself. She always has my attention and I am so thankful because I can honestly say that I have been able to experience her view of the world around her. Even in the smallest things, she teaches me new ways to see them and if I didn't take the time to listen to her, I'd miss them altogether.

Our Facebook friend Jo had these lovely words to say about her Mum

Strength in difficult circumstances | Sacrificial Love

My mum is also my best friend. She has had Multiple sclerosis for over 20 years and suffers pain daily, but she still puts her kids and Grandkids first. She has suffered lots of family tragedies but she is still the bravest and strongest person I know. She gives her life to spending time with her kids and Grandkids, making special memories to treasure forever. I have had a difficult few years after being diagnosed with Crohn’s disease and having to have surgeries, but my mum was there giving support to me and my kids throughout it all. She is an inspiration and loved by all her family.

Sparks and Daughters Team Member, Bethan

Positivity | Affirmation | Optimism

Mum has always been a 'glass-half-full' kind of person. She brings sunshine even on the darkest of days and her positive attitude in the face of difficulty has always been such an example to me. When I have been worried about things, she is always there to remind me that I am strong and brighter days are coming. Even now, when she's undergone two major surgeries within 6 months of each other, she always manages to walk on the sunnier side of the street.

She's taught me to choose happiness every single day and it's something I try to encourage my own family with. Often, before my daughter goes to bed we take time to talk about the good moments in her day and reflect on them. It's a good habit to get into and I hope that it encourages her, just as it did for me.

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