Easter Helped Me to Become a Better Mom

When I think back on all the Easter holidays in my life, I am so grateful that this celebration exists. There were years in my life as a child when I didn’t have great memories of Easter. So, when I had my own children, I really wanted to be intentional to teach them about why we celebrate Easter. Yes, it included egg hunts and Easter baskets. But the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus were my focus. Learning this as a teenager totally transformed my life. I believe that Easter helped me to become a better mom. I am so glad that I have been able to experience grace, forgiveness, mercy, unconditional love and so many other characteristics that Jesus extends to us.

His grace is sufficient

During my season of childrearing, some days it felt like all I did was say No. It felt like my directions and words weren’t making a difference. Were they even listening? My children were both strong-willed and didn’t mind testing my patience. So I would have to hold up my end of the discipline deal so they understood in life there are consequences. Grace can be defined as unmerited favor shown to the unworthy. And in order for my children to learn about grace, I needed to extend it to them. So, there were times when discipline was warranted, but I would tell my child that because of God’s grace, there would be no consequence. They would not receive the punishment they deserved. Jesus gives me what I don’t deserve. He doesn’t expect me to earn any of His love. Easter taught me grace.

Easter taught me forgiveness 

There are many times that our children can hurt us like no one else can. Their words can cut deep. Easter taught me about a beautiful forgiveness that Jesus was willing to give to me. Being a mom, there are many times that I need to show that same forgiveness to my children. I also realized that there are many times that I needed to forgive myself. Motherhood is hard work and many times we are surviving an on-the-job training. Jesus’ journey to the cross was some of the hardest work ever done. He did it all so that we could be forgiven for our brokenness and shortcomings. Our children will fall short, we need to forgive them. We won’t always get it right, we need to forgive ourselves.

Easter taught me unconditional love

The love that I feel for my children and grandchildren can make my heart feel like it is going to explode out of my body. Sometimes I feel like I can’t contain it. But there are some days, I don’t feel such love. Children know us best and know the buttons to push and where we can lose our patience. Those days, the love seems conditional. But Easter has taught me to love my children unconditionally. Nothing can separate me from God’s love. So therefore, I need to show my children, no matter when they don’t get it right–the consequence is not about my love for them. The consequence is about their choice between right and wrong.  

My childhood was dysfunctional for many years and my parent’s focus wasn’t much on living by faith. It was more about surviving all the insanity from alcoholism to abuse, from insecurity to infidelity. When I stepped into a relationship with the living God and understood that Jesus loved me so much that He chose to take on all my mistakes, I began to live life differently. When I became a mom, I wanted to give my children a different childhood than mine. Easter helped me and allowed me to have that dream. There is no love like a mother’s love for her child. Yet, the greatest love we can ever experience is the love Jesus gives. Easter is the celebration of that love story!

Updated March 2024