What instruction is there for the new mothers when entering the hospital? The staff in the hospital treated her like an old hand, and yet this young mother (19) was just that, a young, first time mum and so should have received the professional nurturing that I remember of years past.  The complacency and indifference seen around the world was seen today in the place where birth should be a place of joy and respect, love and guidance.   The way things are today, shows that we have to know everything or else we looked down upon.  Today I watched my daughter-in-law feeding her son.  She came across with so much wisdom and knowledge and had an accomplished ease seen only with mothers who have had more than two.  The air though (not the physical air) was strained and nervous.  My moko could feel it, as I could feel it through him and around me.  Expectations are high for my daughter-in-law from her own family that it goes without saying, 'she knows what she's doing'......But all new mothers know.....we do not know it all to be accomplished, but rather do need the support, guidance and love of those around us.  Not an easy place to be in when it is already expected that you 'know it all', simply because you are the one who 'bought up your younger sibings.  How quick we do forget that raising siblings as opposed to having our own is totally different.   My daughter-in-law will be a loving and accomplished mother but a result of it is going to be a stress and pressure upon her within her inner being.  The love she has abounds everywhere and is felt so strongly, and this is what will see her through.  But the expectations of others will be the downfall, because she will still sacrifice her own wellbeing and health to help others, who can look after themselves but wont, because she has always done it for them.  The one who will suffer will be the child, because everything else for the mother will be out of balance and so he will be the only balance for her to the extremes.  My blessing is that I will be there when she needs me and she already knows that now, and sooner or later, she will come and receive the only real help I can give,  the love of Jesus Christ who has already chosen her son as his own.  Amen and glory to the King

Here's my whakaaro (thought) for this day.... Hmmm
I just clicked recently about many things and one of those was motherhood and work.
We live today in a world that surrounds itself in progress and achievement and as such a type of measure has been made for all to come up to.  Education does begin in the home and it begins in the womb.  Why then do we, the older generation, adults, continue to treat our children as, well, ...extensions of our wants.    Although  they are genetically a part of us, they are their own identity, uniqueness.  Blessed treasures from heaven special and perfectly made. 
By continuing to maintain the worldview look of progess, achievement and growth, we lose the most precious time possible...the first years of our children's lives, for these are the most important ones and the ones where all their growing of their personality and character is nurtured and strengthened in love.   A task that mothers have instinctively even when they think they don't know. 
When we were given these treasures from God, we were also given internal spiritual instructions to nurture and grow.  These are our resources to maintain the care and protection of our future leaders, teachers, and mothers.  (I do not leave fathers out intentionally, but for me the role is different...another blog)
What we as mothers allow is what our children will inherit.

What would you do in this situation?....
Let us say a time just begun,
when a child thought he would be a man
So he dropped all his values and hit the streets
to live and learn and breathe
Now before this he thought he would test out what's faith
And God he did turn through our Christ
He found hope, he found peace, beauty and grace
He found what his soul did yearn
But the place he was in was a place in hell
And the burdens of life sucked him in
So he then turned his back on the one who could do
and returned to the hell where he came
For he could not stand to be alone
or have no one to stroke his pride
But the journey back was no longer the same
All he had known had gone
So a new life he made on the streets as his choice
for obedience he could not give
So the learning's begun for the child to be man
A learning so simple and true
To honor thy mother and respect others
and give, just to give not to get

How easy is it to give so generously?  To give without expectation and reward.  Not as easy as you may think when you're always taken for granted.  
The journey of learning is great indeed, it traverses all kinds of paths.  Whether good or whether bad, the experiences are ones to be had.  Some they say, could be avoided and others the lessons had, but all in all, and on and on , the challenges  will be faced.
To love the unlovable, is to test even your faith.  Never knowing what love really means and living it without perception.
To share ones home, ones kindness and love can come with strings attached that have conditions resulting in expectations of return of the favour. 
But that is not the way and is not the case when one gives with a heart to give.  To give without receiving, even a bit, is a milestone for those who don't know, but when we do give to give of ourselves, we find that the joy can't compare.