Things I Learned From My Mom - by Jac

The other day I was sitting on the couch with a good cup of tea. Now in my house, and my mom’s there are some requirements for a good cup of tea. You have to warm up the cup beforehand. You have to boil the kettle at least twice before you remember that you were making tea and actually pour it. And maybe one in every ten cups you get the prefect cup.

I remember the first time my mom let me make her tea, and now it’s just second nature. And as I was sitting the having some quite time I really began thinking about all the little things my mom has taught me. I mean there are the big things, like how to clean and cook, but the little things. 

My favourite meal when I was younger was homemade mac and cheese, and finally about 6 months before Brian and I got married I asked her to teach me how to make it. I have added some things to the recipe since then – and I do mine on the stove top not the microwave, but that’s because my microwave won’t fit my casserole dish. And I add bacon to mine most times (yes I spoil Brian). 

I also remember my mom teaching me how to fold fitted sheets. How you make it so it fits perfectly with the top sheet and pillowcases. And how to hang clothes on the line so that you could fit 4 or 5 loads on at once, and to hang the thing that would take a long time to dry at the far end and quick dry things closer to you so you can grab them off as they dry. 

How to make a meringue for on top of lemon pie, and how to make the little half-moon swirls in it so you get those little droplets of sugar forming in them. 

And some of the things that are little but make a big impact. Keeping the front hall tidy, keeping your shoes in a row on the mat, folding the towels in the guest bath properly, always having a spare toothbrush in case someone forgets theirs. Always having a smile on your face when you greet someone at the door. That having coasters make people feel more comfortable because they know where to sit and put their drinks.

There are so many little things we pass on to our kids and sometimes we don’t even realize that we are. I’m not sure my mom made a conscious effort to teach me some of the things I know, of it was just part of her going about her day, but there are some things I will never forget. And I hope that if I have a daughter one day I can teach her how to make mac and cheese the way her grandmother did, or I may have to settle for teaching my daughter in law.