It?s hard to pick a favourite moment in my children?s lives. Their births of course were magical. And first smiles, first steps, first words are all memorable, special and significant. But my heart gravitates to everyday moments. The most unexceptional, common, quotidian moments are most precious to me.?Sunday?mornings together as a family eating breakfast listening to my girl chat about what she wants to do that day, while my boy laughs as he tries to throw strawberries into his water cup. Tickle fights on the bed, when my girl laughs so big, my heart just wants to burst. Or golden afternoons down by the pool, watching my children with their friends, little tanned bodies running through the garden as the light leans low. These are the moments when I think, this right here, this is everything I?ve ever wanted.

My biggest challenge in motherhood is, I think, learning to be a whole, and complete person, outside of my parents? influence and separate from my kids. Trying to put aside learned behaviours and stop patterns from my own childhood is difficult. My parents were fairly authoritarian and it?s difficult for me to learn that total compliance from my kids is not going to happen. (And it?s not healthy anyway!) Also, I often feel very responsible for my kids? feelings. If they are hurt or upset or angry, I feel ownership for their pain. I either want to fix things, or I want them to stop acting out their feelings. I feel guilty if I?m unable ?make them? stop crying. But my job is not to erase their feelings, but to be there and love them right through their difficulties. It?s hard. But I think, learning to be a whole and complete person, and learning to love unconditionally is, really, everyone?s biggest challenge. And the reason we are all here. Right?