“Mom, I NEED to tell you something,” are the words my mom never gets tired of hearing. I love talking to my mom on FaceTime. I love how I can tell her anything — even very personal things and I know she will never judge me.
In college, she was my primary form of support. I was miles away from home and, at times, was struggling with my mental health. During these times, I often sat in my dorm room sobbing about how everything was going wrong. When I called her, she helped me feel a little better. Sometimes, I even called her multiple times a day, and she always picked up — even when she worked full-time as a single mom and cared for my younger brother.
My mom always made time for me, even for the little things
However, while I called her when I was struggling or when I needed advice on friendships or relationships, I’d also call to tell her about the little things about my day, such as what I ate for lunch, how I had an exam coming up, or something interesting I saw on my walk to class. She always made time for me, even though she was busy. She knew I was having a hard time and made it her main priority to be there for and support me.
I thought at some point the calls would lessen or I wouldn’t feel the need to talk to my mom all the time as I did in college. And at 23, I can say I still speak to her daily. It’s not how it was in college, where I would constantly need advice or rant about my mental health. I am in a much better headspace now and have a more positive mindset. And I can genuinely say my mom is one of the reasons for this. She is the one who helped me get my mental health back on track through therapy and other methods — things she all suggested during our calls while I was miles away from home. And I am truly grateful.
My mom lets me talk about anything with her
Our conversations revolve more around what I do daily or how my friends are doing. I like calling her and telling her silly things like “I burnt my salmon” or deep conversations like “I don’t know what to do with my life.” She doesn’t always have an answer but helps me talk things out and come up with potential solutions.
I don’t plan on ever talking to my mom less. She can give me life advice that others cannot because she is older and has much more life experience than my friends. She made me into the happy and successful person I am today, and I am so thankful.
When you have a great relationship with your parents in your 20s, it is truly one of the biggest blessings in life. Sometimes the friends who I live with will be like, “Really? You’re calling your mom again?” But it doesn’t bother me at all. I love our calls and am so lucky to have a mom who supports me and can talk to me whenever needed.
I don’t think talking to your parents frequently is something to be ashamed of; it should be celebrated. Because not everyone has the privilege of calling their parents whenever they need them, and if you do have this privilege, make sure to cherish it and call your mom.
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Why a Mom is the Most Valuable Asset to Getting Through College
