Meet a Gazette Mom
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Welcome to our newest feature in The Gazette, “Meet A Gazette Mom.” Every Saturday on our new Family Life page, our readers will meet an average mom with an anything but average life — after all, what’s average about raising kids, right? And no two mothers do it the same way. So, with this feature, an Emporia area mom will candidly answer a variety of questions from parenting tips to her favorite junk food. They may make you laugh, they may make you cry, or they may just make you feel like you’re not the only one on this journey called motherhood. If you would like to nominate someone (or yourself) for us to meet please e-mail Ashley Walker at ashley@emporiagazette.com.
Donna True
Age: 37
Location: Olpe
Occupation: Full-time mom, in-home daycare provider and math tutor
Family members: husband, Eric; Jacy, 11; Kyler, 9; Brylie, 7; Treyson, 5; Maryn, 3; Daghyn, 1.
The last time my children made me laugh: My kids make me laugh every day, but the last time I had a really great laugh was when my youngest son discovered whip cream in the aerosol can. My favorite outdoor activity to do with my child: Swimming and playing some type of sports.
The most important life lesson I want my child to learn: Honesty, trust and true unconditional love because without those three things, nothing else will ever really matter.
The invention I wish I could create to make my life easier: A device that would repeat what I have asked or told the kids so I wouldn’t have to! My proudest moment as a parent: I have six — Jacy, Kyler, Brylie, Treyson, Maryn and Daghyn.
The thing about my younger self that I’d like to reclaim: My energy and the chance to sleep for a full, uninterrupted eight hours at night.
My favorite book to read to my children: “Guess How Much I Love You” (by Sam McBratney)
I hope my kids inherit: The faith to know that with God, all things turn out even better than we can begin to imagine on our own.
The kid’s snack I am most likely to be caught eating: Ice cream. And the kids know it’s a weakness of mine and try to use it to their advantage.
When I have 30 minutes to myself: It’s usually after all the kids are in bed, so if I’m not up working, you can find me falling asleep while trying to catch the last half of a television show.
The future parenting moment I fear the most: The kids becoming teenagers, learning to drive and the freedom to “be on their own.” I hope by then we have given the kids a solid enough foundation to make good choices so I don’t have to fear them growing up!
If I could throw a temper-tantrum it would be because: Life is hard sometimes. You can’t always be the best to everyone and everything and keep it together for yourself, too. The one thing as a kid I promised I’d never do as a parent: Lose my temper with the kids and yell. I am still working on that!
The biggest challenge I’ve faced as a parent is: I think anyone can agree it’s finding a balance between all the hats you wear as a mom and still trying to have an identity and time for yourself and your own relationships.
The last time I said “I’m sorry” to my child was for: Daily it seems. Either it’s because I said we could do something and time didn’t allow, or I forgot, or someone was sick, or late or… I could go on, but….
If I had an “I’d rather be...” bumper sticker on my car, it would say: Vacationing in the Bahamas!
My favorite way to show my kids I love them: Spending real quality time with each of them doing something they enjoy.