Feel free to use these exercises in your own personal journal writing. You may choose to cut and paste them into your own Word document for a computer archive or print out one of these pages and keep them in your journal.

he spirit of mothering expresses itself in a multitude of ways: from birthing our own children to caretaking others; from nurturing animals and the earth to creating art, music, and poetry.

Journaling can help us to practice saying things we are perhaps reluctant to say out loud. Our journals are safe havens where we can be who we really are and say just what we need to say. Because they are private we can release long held emotions and save our bodies from carrying stale and outdated feelings around. Journals are like idealized mothers. They offer us comfort, safety and unconditional love.

Mother's Day
by Sue Meyn

As we move closer to Mother's Day there are lots of thoughts about our experience of having mothers or being mothers that may arise. Some of us have great memories of mother love and relish each moment of our time together. Either we have forgotten or forgiven the obvious frailties that each person has. For others there may be sadness, regret, anger or even fear in relation to having or being a mother. All of it is real, no matter which it is that we feel.

Perhaps it's a good time to consider just what it means to be a mother. Who is that idealized mother you carry in your head? What does she say to you and how do you feel when you are with her? How different is she from your real, in person experience? Take a few moments to sketch out this view. Consider the job, the responsibilities and the style with which those things can be handled. Add in a pinch of humanness, too, to season this recipe for the mother of your dreams.

My hunch is that as each of us evaluate all that this means, this mothering experience, that we will grow in our appreciation of the job, the real person or perhaps ourselves in that very role.

With whatever insights you gain from describing your idealized mother, move into a Dialogue with her. Share your feelings with her---and allow her to respond---as you always wished she had. Say the things you wish you could have said too, and express the joy of this imagined relationship.

We all have an imagined Mom, and no one has one that has been that perfect. What you can believe, if you choose, is that every Mom has wanted to be that idealized Mom for their child. Every mother cherishes the splendor of their newly created being and does what they can to fulfill their role. Some succeed better than others----but no one is perfect.

After your Dialogue you can go one step further. Consider what you have learned in your journaling process. Then, write an Unsent Letter either to your mother or to yourself as a mother. Perhaps your increased awareness of what is involved in motherhood will help you express just what needs to be said. You may find yourself creating a letter that you DO want to send. My hope is that we can all find more peace with our parents so we can have more peace with ourselves.

Oatmeal for Parents--Nurturing and Supporting the Needs of Parents
by Sue Meyn

Twelve plus years ago I was a single parent and had been for 10 years. I was already a journal writer, and as I look back I'm not sure what I would have done without my good friend, the journal. In my journal I could have MY needs and MY concerns. In finding some time for ME I had more of me to share with my children. All parents need this---a place to be yourself.

It would be wonderful if all children had the opportunity to grow up in a two-parent family, but that just isn't the way the world operates these days. And even in a two-parent family there is so much activity and work going on that kids still often feel as though they don't have two parents. We are aware of what our children are not getting---but perhaps we are not giving enough attention to the parent. Parents feel torn by caring for their children, work, money and all the other responsibilities that flash before us. Life just moves so fast these days.

So how can we, as parents, nurture ourselves so we can be there for our kids? It is a question we need to ask frequently as the demands upon us shift and change. What brings you pleasure, satisfaction and can be achieved in a relatively short amount of time? Have you ever known how to be kind and loving to yourself? If you haven't done it before it will be even more difficult now. You will ask yourself, „How can I take care of MY needs when my children need me more?

Sorting out this type of question is fuel for your journal. Your journal is the place that you can ask questions

Sorting out this type of question is fuel for your journal. Your journal is the place that you can ask questions that aren't popular or those that even you don't think you should be asking. But if we don't ask our important questions, we will just go on to unsuccessfully combat the changing demands of our lives. By that I mean we will just move on, unconsciously, contributing more to the problems of the world than to the solutions. Asking questions is tough and sometimes we don't like looking at the answers. It's my belief, though, that life is even harder when we don’t ask the questions.

Sometimes we have questions come up that we don't have time to explore just then. Those are the questions that must be written on a special topics page in your journal. Those are the questions that you will come back to---perhaps over and over and will construct your own life answers---which will become the oatmeal that satisfies and nourishes you.

As a journaling exercise I'd encourage you to consider---how can you be kind and nurturing to yourself?

Make a list-----to 50! Write quickly, repeat if you want and don't censor your thoughts. Allow yourself this time--- about 15 minutes---just to be with yourself. From that list, pull out one, two or three items that really SING to you! Create an action step that allows you to incorporate at least one of those ideas about being nurturing, into your life within the next two weeks! Put it ON your calendar and clear away any obstacles to your getting it accomplished.

Now, how do you feel? Notice that you probably just feel better being listened to? Even if the person listening is yourself, it's better than no one at all---and maybe even better than a hot bowl of oatmeal!

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