A Moment for Mothers

Today, As I was rushing around trying to get a 6 yr. old moving my aunt had the Oprah show on TV.
It started out with a commercial from Oprah saying that if you were a mother you needed to slow down and watch this. Now, as you all know I have no children of my own but what some of you don’ t know is that since the age of 17 I have been a VERY active stand in mom. My nephew who is my whole life has been raised to a good degree by me. I can still remember when the nurse poked her head in the door to my sister in laws room and asked if I would like to give him his first bottle which also led to me changing that first diaper. Now the story on how all of this came to be is to long and complicated. Let’s just say I know what its like to raise a baby. Fully. 100 %. And now that baby has turned into a 6 yr. old.

The experiences just keep on coming. I had been planning on doing a post on what I’ve learned so far as to razing a 6 yr. old boy and some of the things I do to help develop him into a person Heavenly Father has placed him here to be.

Which bring us back to Oprah. Today’s story was Oprah interviewing a woman who left her 3 yr. old daughter in the car for 8 hrs. Which led to the little baby to die, suffering a heat stroke in 100 degree heat.
Now, as any mother or person for that matter; the first thought would be “How could she do that?” I know that’s what I said to myself. Oprah began to just let the lady tell her story. To try and sum this up, This woman is a assistant principal and on this day it was the first day of school. Normally the husband would drop there little 3 yr. old daughter off at daycare but this day he had a dentist appointment. So, the woman was to drop her instead on her way to work. Now before I go any further let me ask you this; Have you ever driven somewhere and then zoned out for a bit and have no memory of how you just drove yourself to this certain place? I know to be honest, I have. Being lost in the music or thinking about what I need to do.
The woman remembers starting out in the car with her little girl being asleep. Then by the time getting to the school--it being the first day--She was parked and out the door into the school. Having completely forgotten about her little girl being asleep in the car. It wasn’t until 8 hours later when a frantic friend and teacher came rushing in to inform her that her daughter was in the car. By the time the mother was out to her car the little girl was gone. Now, as a VERY active Aunt my motherly instincts are always there. Right on the surface for everything. Doctors appointments. Homework. Lunches. PTA. Etc…My heart just ached for this woman. For anything to bring that little girl back. I consider myself a very careful aunt. Always trying to be on top of everything but I set there watching and listening as the story went on wondering “Could I possibly do this?” At first my answer was NO! Certainly NOT! But, then how many times have I rushed Angelus out the door and into the car and got caught up in a phone call or rushing though a store with a 6 yr. old who doesn’t like to hold your hand. As I set there worrying for a minute my answer still came up NO I just could not forget my nephew or child of mine in a car like that. The woman was not charged with murder and I feel by listening to her that that was right. This could happen to someone when your not paying attention. The main message the mother wanted to get a cross was ANYTHING can happen when we get caught up in trying to be perfect and rush to get things done. Listening to this has made me look at him today and think how can I prepare him. Prepare myself for that matter to slow down. To Watch what I’m doing. Saying. Always teaching myself to be a better mom. Now, I do not know everything and there are stages I haven’t hit yet but as pretty much a mom myself this is a couple of things I have learned to do.

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  Play the “What Would You do?” game. In the car where I am a lot with my little guy I sometimes turn down the radio and start asking questions. Example: What would you do, if you were lost? What would you do if I got hurt? What would you do if something was on fire? ---You can go on forever about a lot of things But it’s a chance to hear from a little 6 yr. old on what WOULD he do. I want so badly for him to be prepared should anything happen to him and as adults we are responsible for bringing up our children. They are a reflection of what we have taught them.
• 
  When putting him in the car I only unlock his door first to get him inside then lock it back directly before walking over to my side of the car and then only unlocking my door. Anything or anyone could get access in a second with a door being unlocked while your on the other side.

But mostly I wanted to post this to ask….How well do we pay attention in our lives? What can we do to change before someone like our dear little ones slip through.