Dear Parents and Carers,

In the Catholic faith May is traditionally known as the month of Mary. It is also the month in which we celebrate Mother’s Day and honour our mothers and grandmothers. In doing so we are also honouring the nurturing and life-giving role they fill in our lives. In a special way Mary is their role model and spiritual guide in the blessing that is motherhood.

Being a parent is a challenging role. It is a permanently life-changing experience. No matter what the circumstances: once a parent, always a parent. It involves a vast array of emotions, provides us with some of our biggest challenges and is the relationship where we will experience some of the greatest love, pride and joy in our lives.

Each of the mothers in our community has their own story to tell. Though there may be similarities, no two stories of being a mother are ever exactly the same. Advertising and television provide us with images on what being a mother ‘looks like’. In reality there is no perfect mother (or parent).

For me, the most effective parent becomes the parent they need to be for the child that they have given the gift of life to. They show them love when they need it most, protect them when required and give them space and freedom, no matter how uncomfortable it feels, to become their own person. They provide boundaries to teach values and challenge to help them grow. They model kindness and generosity to others and how to share their opinion respectfully and assertively. They set an example for how to live rich, hopeful and optimistic lives.

Every mother does this in a way that is unique to them, their child and their family and I applaud them in the way that they do this every day. Thank you to all of our mothers for your gentleness, strength, guidance and love. We pray this week for all mothers and mother figures and ask that God will bless them and reward them for their goodness and the gift of life they have given us.

Happy Mother’s Day to all!

God bless

Rachel Smith
Principal