Happy Mother's Day!

I was thinking about Mother's Day and how the definition of "mother" should really be very broad these days.  I believe that just because you haven't had a biological child or just because your child is no longer with you, you may still be very important in the life of a child or in the lives of many children. 

On this day, I believe that we should honor, not only all of the traditional mothers, but we should also honor everyone who provides a motherly influence in the life of a child- whether it is the aunt that goes to all of the games, recitals, awards banquets, and other important and not so important events in the lives of her nieces and nephews or the nanny who is with the children on a daily basis instilling values in and raising the children or the teacher who has spent countless hours teaching and nurturing a child or the neighbor/friend who goes out of their way to spend time with a child, or the step-mother who provides a unique and priceless view of the world for their step-child or the father who plays a dual role, providing both the motherly influence and the fatherly one or the juvenile court intake worker or probation officer or DFCS case manager who is able to provide much needed support and nurturing to a child in desperate need... the list could go and on. 

I believe that, in a world like ours, it really does take a village to raise a child and I believe that any adult can and should provide as much guidance, love, and support to a child as possible to ensure that their future is a bright one!  Happy Mother's Day to all who have made it a priority to take care of a child!  Though you may not have given birth to the child, you may be the most important influence in that child's life!  THANK YOU!