Mom Taught Me: We're Superstars

My mom knows she's the best. We tell her we love her all the time. But she deserves to know why—all moms do. We learned to walk and talk and say please and thank you, but I'm still learning how to decide on a car insurance plan and what makes a good white wine. 

Down the line, I'll need to know why my baby won't stop crying and what a mortgage is, and she'll be there. 

Here are a few of the unique ways Linda Eriksen taught her four kids some of life's most important lessons:

The value of nutrition...

...by only letting us have chocolate cake for breakfast on her birthday

That she's great...

...by teaching us the song, 'mom is great, she feeds us chocolate cake! for breakfast!'

To be independent...

...by letting us do our own laundry 

That silence is golden...

...With "quiet contests," and cash prizes

To have patience...

...by answering all 37 phone calls and responding to photo texts when I can't decide what wear

To be realistic...

...by telling us that sometimes, after too much singing that sharing is caring, that 'sharing sucks'

To cherish family...

...by sending my brother and I on long walks after a fight—holding hands

To have confidence...

...by telling us we're superstars

If you'd like to include a shout out to your mom and why she's also the best, put it in the comments or email it to charlotte@patch.com and I will add it to the article.