Before Mother’s Day…

Mother’s Day is coming up.

And even before it gets here, it can stir up a lot.

Gratitude.
Grief.
Joy.
Disappointment.

Sometimes all at once.

Maybe you’re looking forward to it.

Or maybe there’s a small part of you already bracing.

Wondering how it will go this year.

Because it’s not always about the day itself.

It’s the little things around it.

The teenager who barely looks up from their phone.
The sense that you might still be the one coordinating everything.
The quiet hope that, just this once, it will happen without you having to say anything.

And maybe even a thought you don’t say out loud:

Why do I have to ask for everything?
For once, can this not be about everyone else?
Can’t they just do something for me?

If any of that feels familiar…

you’re not the only one.

I hear this all the time,

from moms who do so much, and still wonder if any of it is getting through.

Moms who think ahead for everyone else.
Who carry the emotional weight of the house.
Who notice everything, and quietly fill in the gaps.

Moms who want, just for a moment, to feel seen without having to explain what they need.

And when you're raising a teenager, that feeling can get even more complicated.

Because it’s not just about the card or the plan.

It’s the day-to-day.

The distance you feel in small moments.
The conversations that stay on the surface.
The sense that something has shifted, even if you can’t remember when it started.

You try to stay steady.

You hold back when you want to say something.

You tell yourself, It’s just a phase.
They’re teenagers.

And still… there’s that quiet question:

Why does this feel harder than I thought it would?

So as this weekend gets closer,

whether it ends up feeling full, quiet, meaningful, or a little disappointing,

I want you to hear this:

You are doing more than anyone sees.

You are not failing.

And you are not alone.

The work you’re doing,

showing up when it’s not reciprocated,
staying steady when it would be easier to pull back,

it matters.

Even if it doesn’t look like it right now.

Even if your teenager doesn’t have the awareness or the words to show you yet.

This stage asks more of you than most people realize.

And if part of you is already wondering how this weekend will feel,

that makes sense.

You’re paying attention. That’s not nothing.

If this feels close to home, you can comment and tell me what you’re hoping for this Mother’s Day.

I read every one.

🧡 Jeanine