Family

Mother Culture/Mother Nature

Are you a mother-to-be? A new mom? An older mom? A working mom? A SAHM (Stay-at-home-mom)? A single mom? A teen mom? A soccer mom? A dance mom? A stage mother? A yoga mom? A mommy blogger? An activist mom? Do you wear Mom jeans? Are you the Mom In Chief? (Unless you are Michelle Obama, the answer is no.)

At home, are you Nurse Mom? Dr. Mom? Chauffeur Mom? Coach Mom? Cheerleader Mom? Teacher Mom? Event planner Mom? Administrative Assistant Mom? Human Resources Mom? Chef Mom? Housekeeper Mom? Librarian Mom? Accountant Mom? Shopper Mom? Nutritionist Mom? Stylist Mom? Police Mom? Detective Mom? Artist Mom? Singing Mom? President Mom? Dictator Mom? Queen Mom?

Are you joyful? Adoring? Content? Anxious? Cautious? Zealous? Spirited? Exhausted? Loving? Open? Comforting? Proud? Curious? Concerned? Careful? Bold? Kind? Protective? Discerning? Demonstrative? Caring? Nurturing? Guiding? Pedantic? Receptive? Clumsy? Consumed? Graceful? Grateful? Tender? Connected? Learning? Strong? Weak? Adapting? Evolving? Lifting? Creative? Delighted?

This Mothers’ Day, as we embrace our mothers and their nature, let’s use this cultural ritual to transform the culture of mothers (and others). Mothers, especially in the last generation, have been defined as a something-mom. The mom part is a bit self-deprecating. Is it because mothers feel like mothers first and then something else? Or do mothers still feel like they are not quite something else? Traditionally, mothers have not only played the role of domestic goddess and liaison to schools, but have been involved in civic and community projects (usually without recognition of being the ones who do the volunteer work, beyond donating and sitting on boards). Good schools and workplaces, as well as healthcare and nutritional, clean food must be more available and accessible for all.  Schools and workplaces must transform (not merely evolve to accommodate those with the most choices) to support the entirety of our lives. We must move beyond the 19th century industrialization model to a more fluid model of work and school, so that our mother culture supports and enhances mothers’ nature (and mother nature).

So Happy Mothers’ Day! Give your mother the love she needs! And check out Moms Rising.org. I’m going to make a gift right now! Join me in making a happy mothers’ day today and tomorrow.

http://www.momsrising.org/

Let’s Dance!

If our kids don’t replicate our suggestions, have they learned? Have we taught? As parents and educators, we attempt to nourish, protect, guide, acculturate, civilize, enrich and encourage. As Andrew Solomon writes in his masterful work Far From The Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search For Identity, “ There is no such thing as reproduction.” Parents produce offspring. The idea is that the product of the parents is a new organism. Even when the children resemble the adults, they always grow away from us. Andrew Solomon’s book is devoted to children who don’t resemble their parents, but the lessons are true for all. Teaching and parenting is not a matter of replication.

In many ways education (whether parent or teacher) is dance. We choreograph, composing a sequence of steps and moves. We design a form and motions. Educators/choreographers direct movement. Our kids are dancers. As learners, they (and we) employ codified movements in various contexts. Dance is a form of social interaction, emotional expression, and performance. Most importantly it is movement. If we consider  educating as guiding our kids’ (and our) movement  in the domains of social interaction, emotional expression and performance, rather than as a sculpture (or worse, a reproduction of a sculpture), then we can experience individual human rhythms and energies, and appreciate their distinctions and likenesses through their gestures.  We can move along with them.

Education is movement!  Let’s Dance!