Congresswoman Kristi Noem’s Weekly Column: Motherly Advice

Motherly Advice
By Rep. Kristi Noem

My grandma gave me some of the best advice when I was pregnant with our oldest, Kassidy. It was simple. She said: “Say yes when you can, because as a parent, there’s a lot that you’re going to have to say no to.”

I’ve always loved that advice, and as a mom, I’ve tried to live by it. So, if the kids wanted to race down the driveway, it didn’t matter how tired I was, we did it. If they wanted to have their cousins over in the middle of planting corn, we made it work. If they wanted to jump through mud puddles, I said yes – even if it meant a little extra laundry that week.

Of course, none of this is to say that I didn’t ever said “no” (just ask my kids). But I do have to say that some of our best family memories are from the times when we took grandma’s advice.

I don’t know if my own mom got the same motherly insight when she was expecting, but I think back often on the guts it must have taken to let us kids step into the role we did after my dad died. She believed in her children enough to trust them to make important business decisions and grow into their new roles as managers of a family business. She took risks to ensure that no matter what, my dad’s dream of all his kids farming together could be realized, even after his death.

When I now see our children – her 16 grandchildren – growing up as close as brothers and sisters, I am overwhelmed by the unique blessing we enjoy because of her decision to say yes. There’s no doubt that I love her with all my heart, and I am so grateful God saw it fit for me to call her Mom.

This Mother’s Day, I encourage you to thank the moms in your life for all the times they said yes. Consider the opportunities those “yes” moments created and the memories they made.

To all the moms reading this article, I wish you a very happy Mother’s Day!