I’m so thankful for my Mum, the wonderful Alison Marsh (pictured above with 5-month-old me in 1981), who also happens to be the cofounder of Dads4Kids. She’s an amazing mother of five, wife to the equally wonderful Warwick, and devoted grandmother to a growing gaggle of grandchildren.

Dads4Kids is for dads, but we’re also for mums. It should be self-evident, but in today’s world with so much noise and a seeming shortage of common sense, especially in the West, it’s worth repeating: it takes a mother to make a father. This does not take anything away from single mums or single dads, but the reality is, kids do best when they grow up with a loving, committed father and mother in their lives.

Reflecting on my childhood, I often wonder how my Mum survived. I’ve written previously about some of the shenanigans my brothers and I got up to. To be fair, my sister had her moments too, though she was more sensible than her four older, rambunctious brothers. We all tested Mum’s mettle on many occasions, yet she always patiently and lovingly cared for us.

I’m thankful for my Mum in so many ways, too many to list, but for brevity’s sake, here’s my top 5:

Her Resilience

Mum’s adaptability and tenacity is awe inspiring. Travelling was something we did a lot of as a family, and Mum managed it all with aplomb. When we broke down on the Nullarbor Plain, Mum made the best of a bad situation, maintaining our distance education schooling, feeding us all, and keeping an eye on our campfire-making (some Marsh family members have a fascination with fire and all things pyrotechnical).

Her Loyalty

Mum is one of the most firm, constant, and unwavering people I know. Over the years, her faithfulness has been an incredible blessing to us, her family, and all those around her. She’s consistently intentional and regularly sends lovely hand-written notes (I received one from her just this week!). In today’s world, loyalty is undervalued and sometimes rare, but not my Mum – she has it in spades.

Her Creativity

Mum’s always been creative. She loves creating things, has fostered a love for creativity in all five of her children, and continues to encourage her grandchildren’s creativity. She took each of us to early childhood music classes at Wollongong Conservatorium, a valuable activity continuing today with her grandchildren. I have memories of her diligently encouraging me to practise my drumming, something I’m forever grateful for. Her dedication to imagination helped grow a love and appreciation for music in her family that continues.

Her Practicality

My Mum is the ultimate “boys’ mum”. Yes, she was eventually blessed with a precious daughter (love you, Mel!), but my Mum nailed the no-nonsense parenting approach required for raising four boisterous boys (read more from my Mum here). She is one of the sweetest yet pragmatic, down-to-earth people I know. She may have been endowed with epic boy mum abilities, or perhaps it was something she developed over 20-plus years raising boys, but she is an amazing Mum and Grandma.

Her Unconditional Love

Any parent knows that kids test you. Whether it’s the sleep deprivation of the early years, the toddler tantrums, or the teenage hormones, as a parent, you certainly experience the full gamut of human relations and emotions. Mum had to take us (many times) to the Wollongong Hospital emergency department, due to various poor decisions my brothers and I regularly made. We tested her patience in so many ways, yet she always managed the right balance of caring for us while encouraging us to be the best we could be.

So, to my wonderful Mum, the amazing Alison Marsh, Happy Mother’s Day! I thank God for you every day.

Lovework

Join Dads4Kids in wishing every mum a Happy Mother’s Day! If you can, make sure you honour your mum today. If you’re a dad, help your children to celebrate their mum. As bestselling author Teal Swan says in the video above, a ‘major argument for good dads is, can the dad be there for the mum… if you’ve got a father figure who is supportive to the mother, the mother’s energy goes towards the children’.

If you need more inspiration, read this excellent article from Dads4Kids’ friend Dr Ken Canfield. He writes, ‘when you honour your children’s mum, you’re doing more than being decent to another person. You’re telling your children something they’ll carry for the rest of their lives: that motherhood itself is worthy of honour. That the role she fills matters.’ Fathers matter, and Mothers matter — Let’s celebrate them together!

Yours for mums,
Nathaniel Marsh

P.S. If you’re encouraged by the work of Dads4Kids and can support our vision to help dads be the best they can be for their children, please consider making a tax-deductible donation here.