Learning To Accept The Support Of My Kids

Elke Relationships

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When thinking about this theme I saw so many ways to take it—social, financial, emotional, the village, finding a good bra or running shoe. I have a great network, parents, husband, friends. But really what I want to do today is tell you about my boys. They are the most supportive people I know, and I don’t honor them enough as my biggest supporters.

When my boys were babies I was very sick. Chronically sick. So we stayed home a lot and I did my best to make it special. Actually, that’s bullshit. Sometimes I did that. Most of the time I did the bare minimum needed to get through the day. Some days it was a lot of TV and just getting through it. And sometimes, my little guys really just had to help me through it.

I hated feeling like I was shorting them. Or using them. Or expecting too much. But the truth was, that was our reality.

My heart hurt for them—for all the things they weren’t getting to do. That they sometimes had to take care of me, instead of the other way around.

I am better now, but still have my moments.

It is only lately that I see all the things they got to do, all the gifts that come from shitty circumstances.

They are kids, for sure, but they too have their moments.

Their moments look like this, when my youngest fell asleep rubbing my head after a surgery: 

They look like how my oldest rubs my feet when he is talking to me, and how he doesn’t even realize he is doing so.

The moments look like how they showed up, big time, when their grandmother was in the hospital.

The support they give teaches me everyday that real love looks like a support cycle.  We just keep giving and getting round and round.

So this month, seek support, serve, give. Take care of each other. Find your moments.

And to my boys, you are my heroes. Every way, every day.

This month we are asking our audience to support Mamalode. Support independent publishing.  Support women-owned business. Support authentic content. Support a scrappy company that stared with $400 and is now nipping at the heels of the big dogs. Pledge to join our campaign—you can give what feels good to you (it’s monthly) and we will work as hard as ever to deserve and preserve the trust you have in us. Mamalode is you. Thank you.

About the Author

Elke

Elke Govertsen is a entrepreneur and founder of Mamalode. She has been featured in Real Simple, Forbes, Where Women Create, Ad Tech, and listed as one of Origin Magazine's "Top 100 Creatives." She has been a speaker at The Girls Lounge, Adweek, C2Montreal, HATCH, TEDx and (her favorite) in classrooms. She speaks on a variety of topics from entrepreneurship to overcoming obstacles. She loves consulting in the areas of community design, storytelling and brand building. Her special skills include extreme bootstrapping, overcoming obstacles and creating opportunities. Of the many things she has learned by doing Mamalode, her ability to work with absolute chaos/kids/mess just might be the best. She is learning that slowing down creates more impact.

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