Jordan Peterson: Society Forgot This About the Role of a Mother

“You don’t grow up until someone is more important than you” My Lord that is so true!

Being a mother highlighted all of my shortcomings and strengths, reordered all of my priorities, made me care less and yet more about myself, and completely changed how I view the world. Thank God for the privilege of being a mother to three amazing humans.

The level of sacrifice has risen to an unhealthy place. Women try to do too much…working full time, caring for the kids and home with little help leaves nothing for the mom to nurture herself…so she tries to pour from an empty cup. Too many of us sacrifice too much and it’s not a good example for our sons who need to be contributing partners or for our daughters who need to learn boundaries. It’s time for a rebalancing.

Being a mother has brought me both the happiest and most challenging days of my life.

I wrestled with "the shame" I felt for wanting to be a wife & mother until someone wise said in amazement "those are noble desires." It was then that I realized the horrible messages and programming I had grown up with all my life. Been married for 18 years now and we have 5 children. Wonderful! Best. Decisions. In. Life.

Being a mother taught me more about myself than any other life experience, and some of the lessons were not things I'd wanted to know.

‘If home was too good, you’d never leave.’ Can’t wait to use that one. It reminded me about an older mom I met with teenagers and kids that were grown and gone and she was complaining about her teenagers behavior. I told her I dread the drama that comes with that someday. And she told me, ‘I believe it serves its purpose. They have to drive you so crazy that you’re ready for them to move out as an adult. If they didn’t drive you to the brink of insanity, you’d die of a broken heart when they leave your home.’

My number 1 priority in life is to bring up my children and ensure they have a childhood, they don't have to recover from. I struggle with my childhood trauma on a daily basis and having children only affirms how awful my upbringing was. I'm the mother to them I so desperately wished I had. It is now my duty to break that generational curse and not repeat the history of the women before me 🖤

I got married, had children and home educated them for 12 years. At times I felt overwhelmed and underappreciated. However, now that I'm on the other side and my children are adults, I see how valuable it was, suffering and all. There's nothing like watching your kids grow up and be the amazing people they were created to be and I thank God for my part in it!!! Best time I ever spent was training and enjoying my children's growth into maturity.

My mom always said when we’d complain things weren’t fair. “life’s not fair, part of a mother’s job is to acquaint you with that fact”

I married at age 31. Never before that did I ever worry about my biological clock nor did I ever think about marriage. I met Jesus at 28. Met husband in the church. First baby at age 32. The day I held my first born I knew immediately that this was what I was made for. I had baby #4 at age 37. I homeschooled. Amazing if you knew my past. God worked it all out for me. Going on year 40th anniversary and am now having a blast with grandchildren. I wouldn't change a thing. It's all about Jesus.

The problem for modern mothers is societies schema of a perfect mother based on a 1950s model stay at home housewife, 100% devoted to your children, but kinder and more hands on than 1950’s housewives were ever expected to be; whilst also fulfilling societies schema of a devoted employee, which means 100% sacrifice and loyalty towards your employer as if you have no dependents. Plus theres no village to raise children anymore. Society doesn’t support modern mothers.

When my son was a newborn, my neighbor told me as long as he knows that I'll always be there for him behind the scenes, I'll have done good. His daughter was killed not even a month later, and the advice stuck with me hard. Because she was such a happy girl. 17, confident, in college, kind... and he knew he'd done his best. It 100% has shaped my mothering. When I don't know how to handle something, this comes to me. I basically raised myself so its some of the only guidance I picked up. But it'd been key.

The best experience of life! Nothing in this world (for me anyway) compares to the journey of motherhood. I’m a single mom with zero support or involvement from the dad practically since birth, my son is almost 18 … financially it gets stressful at times, though for the most part he is unaware of that stress as it’s my responsibility not his to bare…. but the massive blessing of raising this amazing little being into an incredible adult has been my greatest privilege in this life. Such a beautiful gift in the human experience.The best if you ask me.

More generations have been raised by stay at home mothers. Society was much better off when women could stay home and tend to their own children. Look at society now, it’s a mess. Children are pretty much raising themselves. No guidance, no structure, and a huge lack of discipline. To all the stay at home mom’s you have the HARDEST JOB IN THE WORLD. You are valued and honorable, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Be proud of yourself! 🙌🏾🙏🏽💪🏾

I'm 37, husband is 44, and we're finally having a child in January. I have the rare type 1 form of diabetes, and I was raised by a mom who was terrified I'd die in childbirth along with a dad who thought the "rapture" would happen in 2008 or 2018, so I didn't think of having a child for quite awhile (my husband also leaned against it for the reason Peterson describes as too clichéd here). My mom passed away in 2018, I'm now amillennial and no longer worry about the rapture, my endocrinologist assured me that type 1 diabetic pregnancies are far less riskier today than they were in the times my mother grew up, and my husband's more stoic side eventually overcame the side that was reluctant to bring a child into the world because of how bad the world is...so here we are! I'm almost 36 weeks pregnant, baby seems fine...we're ready for the challenge.

My mom past away a year ago. I was with her when she died of a heart attack. I must say I lost my best friend and she raised six kids by herself as a single mother. She was a widow. My father died when I was three. She decided to stay single and focus in us. Only with a six grade she taught me the value of education. Something that no one can take from you. She's still comes to me in my dreams looking so beautiful, happy and calm. She constantly reprimand me in my dreams. I tell her she should relax, that she already passed away. She always says it's not an excuse for her to call me in my stupidity of losing time, in the things I should be doing. My mom doesn't even take a day off with me. Death hasn't stopped her from telling me, what I should do.

you don't grow up until you've had children.....hmmm, I know many men who don't grow up even WHEN they have children, in fact become more childlike.

I was hesitant to ever have kids because I thought I wouldn't be maternal enough to make a good parent. I was in the military and now work in a leadership role in manufacturing, working 60-70 hours a week. I knew nothing about children, especially infants. And always felt too mentally "manly." But I just had my little boy 28 days ago and it's like a damn light switched. He's the most important thing and my instincts have been spot on so far. I pray I'll be worthy of him, because he's incredible.

Being a mother made me love my body. Being a mother made me a more patient person. Being a mother empowered me. Being a mother fulfilled me.