Mothers as Leaders

It is impossible to overestimate the value of mothers as leaders.  As the poet, William Ross Wallace, wrote, “The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world.”  And we are all familiar with this quote from Abraham Lincoln:  “All I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.”

Mothers are some of the best life coaches the world has to offer.  They say to their children, “You can do it.  I know you can!”  And mothers model action.

Mothers are able to key in on what is really important.  Being able to prioritize is a well-recognized leadership skill.  Because mothers wear so many hats, they are excellent at prioritizing and determining what comes first.  They are constantly sorting information and adapting and adjusting.  They determine which tasks at hand need attention immediately and which can be assigned to another time.

I like this quote from Elder Neal A. Maxwell:  “When the real history of mankind is fully disclosed, will it feature the echoes of gunfire or the shaping sound of lullabies?  The great armistices made by military men or the peacemaking of women in homes and in neighborhoods?  Will what happened in cradles and kitchens prove to be more controlling than what happened in congresses?”

A mother’s influence never ends even when she is no longer with us.  It seems we can always hear her voice guiding, cajoling, encouraging, and loving us.

The First Lady’s initiative is called Uplift Families. The goal of this initiative is to promote good parenting skills, strengthen families, and offer resources to parents throughout the state.