Seasons of Motherhood

My son is transitioning to grade school this spring. Today, I attended the celebration of his last day at preschool. It is called 'Rose Day,' an event in the Waldorf education system that marks the transition from one stage of a child’s life to another.

As I watched him walk up to receive his rose, my heart swelled with emotion. The entire ceremony felt like a delicate passage, not just for him but for me as well. I found myself tearing up, overwhelmed by the realization that this wasn’t just his transition, it was mine too. The whole day carried a weight I hadn’t fully anticipated. At the end of the day, as I reflected on what this milestone truly meant, it became clear: I was also stepping into a new phase, making choices that would shape the next course of his life. This moment was as much about my growth as it was about his.

Watching my son move through each stage of his life has been pure joy. His first tumble within me, his first kick, his first cry, his first steps, first words, first pains, and first joys. I have seen and felt his transition ever since I conceived him, his journey through the rainbow bridge to find us so we can guide his soul to its destiny.

As his mother, I feel the deep responsibility of making choices for him until he learns to make his own. I model and guide him through our values and beliefs until he shapes his own. I strive to give him space and freedom to grow within loving boundaries. But doing this is no simple task. Taking responsibility for a life beyond my own, knowing that every choice I make will ripple into his life as well, is a weighty and humbling experience.  Over the years, I have firsthand experienced the challenges, strength, and dedication it takes to raise a child, to nurture a human being, a human in becoming. Not only through my experiences with my own child but also through the experiences of so many mothers I have worked with. I have tested my theories not just in my own home but in the lives of thousands of mothers navigating their own journeys. Some days, even as I guide mothers through their parenting journeys, I hear myself offering advice and realize in that very moment just how challenging it can be. There are no perfect formulas, no one-size-fits-all solutions. It is a constant practice of trial, error, and learning about ourselves and our children, as we go.

People often assume that because I am a parent coach, raising my son must be easy. That knowledge must make me immune to the struggles of parenting. The reality? As my child has transitioned through life’s phases, so have I. From conception to birth to every stage of growth, I have undergone my own transformation. I am not just talking about the physical and hormonal changes but deep shifts as a human being. Motherhood has challenged me, reshaped me, and taught me that just like my child, I am evolving too.

I believe that, when you truly start raising a child, you also start raising yourself.

I was an extremely impatient person before becoming a mother. My friends would describe me as impulsive, quick to react, and restless. But my son, with his strong-willed nature and determined spirit, has taught me patience in ways I never imagined. So often, I resist. I want him to adapt to my pace, and my way of doing things. But as the days pass by, I also realize that parenting is not about control; it is about adapting, learning, and growing together. I have to slow down, breathe, and truly listen, to him, to myself, and to the lessons that motherhood is trying to teach me.

Each stage of a child’s development is also a stage of development for the mother. When a baby learns to walk, a mother learns to let go. When a child enters school, a mother learns to trust. When a teenager tests boundaries, a mother learns resilience. The most amazing part that I have only recently learned and realized, is that learning never follows a neat, upward trajectory. It is not an incline but a wave, filled with highs and lows, triumphs and setbacks. One moment you feel like you have figured it out, and the next, you are back to square one, questioning everything. And that is okay. Growth is not linear, it is a constant process of stretching, recalibrating, and expanding.

I remind my clients often: I am not a perfect parent myself. I make mistakes. I lose my patience. I raise my voice. But what matters is the repair. I don’t have control over everything, but I do have control over some things. Change what you can. Release what you cannot.

Spring is a time of fresh starts, renewal, and transition. It reminds us that change, though sometimes uncomfortable, is necessary for growth. So, as you guide your children through their seasons of change, don’t forget to extend that same grace to yourself. As magical as parenting is, it is damn hard and you are doing great! I always say, ‘small consistent change’. So, what is the one thing you are going to do differently from today?