I had the meanest mother in the whole world. While other kids ate candy for breakfast, I had to have cereal, eggs or toast. When others had cokes and cookies for lunch, I had to eat a sandwich. As you can guess, my supper was different than the other kids' also. We had to eat vegetables and other stuff that was good for you. But at least, I wasn't alone in my sufferings. My sister and two brothers had the same mean mother as I did.

My mother insisted upon knowing where we were at all times. You'd think we were on a chain gang. She had to know who our friends were and where we were going. She insisted if we said we'd be gone an hour, that we be gone one hour or less--not one hour and ten minutes. I am nearly ashamed to admit it, but she actually struck us. We got spanked for being bad. Can you imagine someone actually hitting a child just because he disobeyed? Now you can begin to see how mean she really was.

We had to wear clean clothes and take a bath. The other kids always wore their clothes for days. We had to be in bed by nine each night and up at eight the next morning. We couldn't sleep till noon like our friends. So while they slept-my mother actually had the nerve to break the child-labor law. She made us work. We had to wash dishes, make beds, learn to cook and all sorts of cruel things. I believe she laid awake at night thinking up mean things to do to us.

She always insisted upon us telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, even if it killed us- and it nearly did. By the time we were teenagers, she was meaner than ever. None of this tooting the horn of a car for us to come running. She embarrassed us to no end by making our dates and friends come to the door to get us. If I spent the night with a girlfriend, can you imagine she checked on me to see if I were really there. I never had the chance to elope to Mexico. That is if I'd had a boyfriend to elope with. I forgot to mention, while my friends were dating at the age of 12 and 13, my old fashioned mother refused to let me date until the age of 16. Fifteen, that is, if you dated only to go to a school function. And that was maybe twice a year.

Through the years, things didn't improve a bit. We could not lie in bed, "sick" like our friends did, and miss school. If our friends had a toe ache, a hang nail or some other serious ailment, they could stay home from school. Not us! We had to study and do our homework. She insisted we pass our classes. Our friends' report cards had beautiful colors on them, black for passing, red for failing. My mother being as different as she was, would settle for nothing less than all black marks.

As the years rolled by, first one and then the other of us was put to shame. We all graduated from high school. We went on to college. And there behind us, talking, hitting and demanding respect, was our mean mother. Why I could have been a drop-out but not with my mother.

My mother was a complete failure as a mother. None of us had the adventure of having ever been arrested, divorced or even beaten his mate. Each of my brothers served in the service of this country. We all work for a living. And whom do we have to blame for the terrible way we turned out? You're right, our mean mother. Look at the things we missed. We never got to march in a protest parade, nor to take part in a riot, burn draft cards, smoke marijuana, or even get drunk and a million and one other things that our friends did.

Our mean mother forced us to grow up into God-fearing, educated, honest adults. Using this as a background, you see how I am trying to raise my three children. Just like her and just maybe they call me mean. Because, you see, I thank God, He gave me the meanest mother in the whole world.

written by Bobbie Pingaro (1967)

Did You Have A "Mean Mom" Like That?

I came across Bobbie's essay and it touched a cord in my heart. Praise the Lord for "mean" mothers. Mothers who really care enough about their children to demand that they grow up with direction, purpose and moral values. Our society needs more mothers like that.

I especially want to "thank" the Lord for Christian mothers. Moms who model Christ in their families. Moms who insisted that children go to Church with them, learn about the love of Christ and have an opportunity to experience the presence of Christ in a worship. You should rejoice if you had parents that knew God and who left you a legacy in Christ.

"Father in heaven, it is our prayer that you bless every Christian parent, but especially those mothers that mold and shape the lives of young children. This is a day when they need all the help they can get. So Lord keep your hand on them, guide their every action and bless all those they touch. In Christ's name we pray."