"What do you want for Mother's Day?" my teenage son asked me last week. "Nothing", I replied. It 
wasn't that I was being coy or manipulative... I really meant it. I recognize the fact that I'm "one lucky mother". After all, I have two wonderful children (whom I genuinely like), a loving, supportive husband (who now does ALL of the laundry) and an exciting career (what's not to love about travel?)
With Kelly entering her Senior year of high school in the fall, and Conor returning to Skidmore College as a Sophomore, my children's formative years are basically complete. I have little left to do but provide them with loving coaching and a pinch of moral support, (oh yeah...and let's not forget about the college tuition!). After many years of perseverance and hard work, I feel that I can now look back at the past 20 years with pride and a sense of accomplishment.
Successful parenting can be both difficult and hard to measure, 
there are no benchmarks to tell you when you're doing things right (or wrong). When "in the trenches" it's virtually impossible to have a subjective perspective. That's why it's so important to have the support of people we love and trust.
As Hillary Clinton said,"it takes a village", and on this Mother's Day I'd like to acknowledge those who have helped me raise talented, compassionate, loving children. Had it not been for the kindness and generosity of other mothers, my story, and that of my children could have easily ended much differently.
So on this Mother's Day I would like to acknowledge all mothers around the world. Their efforts to raise responsible, educated, well-adjusted children is a day to day struggle, and without support can be a daunting job. Thank you for your sacrifice and dedication. May your Mother's Day be blessed and happy.
