She sees her son's hands dirty with grease and asks herself: "Does making him work make me a bad mother?"
Parents would do anything for their children and, when deciding to start a family, they take into account the fact that they have to make sacrifices for their well-being. Until they become completely autonomous, children are a great responsibility, also financially. Cassandra Lane has 5 children and, both she and her husband, know very well the price of all the sacrifices made in order to make sure their family doesn't lack anything. In a world strongly divided between those who hold a lot of wealth and those who seem to have practically nothing in comparison, it is easy to get discouraged: Cassandra has always seen her children's peers live dream lives and, in the long run, this thought can be very disheartening. As sure as she was of her role as a mother and of all the love she always gave to her children, one day, the woman was unsure of herself and she questioned herself after a little episode. Thankfully, her son gave her the best answer a parent could ever get.
via Newsner
One day, Cassandra accompanied one of her children, Zeke, to have his picture taken for the school album. It was the end of summer and Zeke, like so many boys, was helping the family by working in a workshop during the holidays. Cassandra could not help but notice the boy's hands were dirty with grease: they were clearly the hands of a person who had worked for days in a workshop. She also noticed that the boy was feeling a little uncomfortable about it, but she reassured him immediately by telling him that at school they would only take pictures of his face. Unfortunately, she was wrong, as the portraits of the kids were all taken from the waist up.
She suddenly felt guilty: maybe she hadn't done enough for her son? All the other boys present at school that day were well dressed and seemed to live a very different life from the one her son was used to.
Her son didn't have a new car, he didn't have the latest clothes and he didn't lead the same carefree life as his peers, of this Cassandra was sure. Suddenly the woman felt she was failing as a mother, but luckily it was just a moment of weakness. Cassandra has addressed her doubts with her son, Zeke, telling him that she is deeply sorry for the little she has always been able to offer him. Her son, however, reassured her in a moment and with a smile replied: "And what are you sorry for? For teaching me that to get what I want I have to work? For teaching me that nothing in life is owed to me.?"
A conversation that immediately heartened Cassandra and that reminded her that she should be proud of herself as a mother, as well as being proud of her son of course. Cassandra had taught her son the true value of money, sacrifice and work; but above all, she had always given him all of her love.
It's not expensive clothes or smartphones that make good parents and a child's happiness can't be bought with prizes or gifts.
