Hold your children close

[comfortfoodnash]

I lost my youngest son, Scott over 3 years ago.  I still hurt with every breath I take and miss him more all the time. The one thing that comforted me, besides my other son & grandkids,  still does, is that I was the best mom to my kids that I knew how, and was able, to be. I was the "Brady Bunch" mom, the neighborhood house all the kids came to, the cool mom. I was totally involved in their schooling and life in general. When they grew up, I let them go, let them live their own lives but was there when I was needed. My oldest son, Chris, is healthy and thriving and a wonderful dad and I am thankful for that every day.

I want to give you a bit of advice if I may. Before you do or say anything that affects your child, think to yourself, "what will he/she remember about his/her childhood and about me as a mom, when grown?" Because the son I lost had said, not long before I lost him, that he had no regrets about his childhood. That I was a great mom, that I shouldn't worry or feel guilty about anything to do with raising them. My oldest son, Chris, has told me the same thing and now I am the best Nana I can be. I can't do as much with my 3 grandkids as I'd like, I'm disabled and take care of my 83 year old mom who has alzheimer's, so my free time is limited, even when I feel good. But I have my grandkids here as often as I can and I help all I can. I bake cookies with them, just like I did my kids. I talk and talk to them. And everytime I see them, as I did daily with my kids, I make a life lesson out of something that happens that day. I treat my grandkids, as I did my kids, as people, with respect and kindness. And I teach them to appreciate the world, other people and what they have.  I teach them, like I did my kids,  not to be hypocrites or discriminate, I made my mistakes but I can honestly say that I was the best mom and AM the best Nana that I know how to be.

Hold your children close and be the best mom you can be. Be patient, understanding and consistent. Talk to them a lot. Share your life with them, make life fun for them. Cook with them, read to them, play with them. For them, for you and for my Scott, who never had a chance to have a child of his own.  He would have made a fabulous dad, just like his brother.

Kiss them all for me. Linda

Please visit Scott's memorial page.