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Purposeful Mom
Samantha Heiges, Minnesota USA
From Amazing Moms: Parents of the 21st Century Copyright © 2018 Motivational Press. Reprinted with permission. By Hogan Hilling and Elise Cohen Ho.
Amazing Moms: Parents of the 21st Century is the 1st coffee table book to feature moms. It features 115 amazing moms from a variety of family dynamics and 13 countries – USA, Canada, Australia, England, Netherlands, France, Italy, China, Hungary, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Mozambique, and Croatia. It is filled with captivating self-portraits that reveal each mom’s unique personality and joyful photos of their families. The moms bear their souls about the challenges and joys of motherhood and share a wealth of wisdom about their parenting journeys. These moms represent motherhood and femininity at its best. Amazing Moms is the companion coffee table book to DADLY Dads.
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I’m a mom of a nine-year-old daughter Taylor. Before my incarcerations, I was an assistant manager at a bank. I am in prison for 2nd-degree murder with a minor and serving a 25-year sentence.
To improve my life in prison I have attended parenting classes and college classes on Philosophy, Writing and Research Skills; Research and Writing in the Disciplines; Economics for Consumers; History of Rock and Roll; Psychology of Women; Intro to Film; U.S. History to 1965; Intro to Sociology; Historical Geology and Lifetime Fitness. I also attend a conflict resolution coaching class.
To demonstrate remorse for my crime, I attend Restoration Justice groups. To strengthen my bond with my daughter, I took up crocheting and made stuffed animals for her to cuddle with at home. I also work as a lead textile worker and a service dog handler and trainer. I love playing sports like basketball, volleyball, and softball.
Quote.
Nobody looks stupid when they’re having fun. – Amy Poehler
What I do well as a mom.
I do a good job keeping connected with my daughter and accepting help from my family. During telephone correspondence and visitation I keep our conversations as normal as possible. I encourage her to keep a positive attitude and help her with homework. I also do a good job to create “Peter Pan” adventures with her on the telephone or during our visits.
What I learned from another mom.
To let go of the little challenges in life. Kids go through phases. Stay focused on the bigger picture and guiding your child through life. Parenting is not a perfect science.
What I learned from my child.
That it’s okay to be silly and have fun in life. I’ve made some bad choices, worried too much about what other people think of me and lost my sense of having fun in life. I find it easier just to be me and that it’s okay to let the kid in me come out every once in a while, especially around my daughter.
Successful motherhood moment.
My daughter was ten months old when I started my prison sentence. I was not allowed to have physical contact with her for the first eight months of my incarceration. While I was given permission to talk to family members on the telephone and was able to hear my daughter’s sounds, it hurt not to be able to see and touch her; and I was scared she would not remember me. What kept my hopes up was that my relatives told me they hung photos of me around my daughter’s crib. Despite the eight months of separation the day I was given visitation time with her, my daughter was excited to see me and hugged me.
Mom I admire.
My mom, Chris. Chris was a hard worker and did her best to provide all the essentials we needed during my childhood years. What I admire about her are her good work ethics, how she saved money for her and her children’s future and her strength and determination to overcome the daily challenges of life as a parent.
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Originally published in Amazing Moms: Parents of the 21st Century Copyright © 2018 Motivational Press. Reprinted with permission.
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Photos courtesy of the author.
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