This post is in partnership with P&G Thank You Moms.
Being a mom is one of the most challenging yet most rewarding roles a woman could have. One of the most difficult aspects is being strong for our kids in the face of adversity and, especially, in situations beyond our control. We are the role models for our children so how we handle these key moments helps define our children’s personal strength and courage.
I had to deal with a potentially life threatening medical issue that really tested my strength as a mother. When my daughter was 3, she started getting unexplained bruises. I’m talking about handprints on her body from being picked up and bruises up and down her legs. After a plethora of testing we fortunately found out it wasn’t Leukemia, but it was a condition called ITP. Basically that means she had super low blood platelets so her blood couldn’t clot. This was from an unknown cause and would last for an unknown length of time. So this meant that if she had a simple fall, she could rupture a spleen. A bump on the head could cause bleeding in her brain…
She couldn’t go to preschool, couldn’t be left alone for even a minute. She was too young to understand why she couldn’t run around and play like other kids. I’ve never been more nervous and stressed in my entire life – I had to resist the urge to burst into tears, couldn’t eat or sleep. But I had to be strong for her and for my 6 year old son. When the needle went into her little arm every week to take blood, I took a deep breath and calmly talked to her and told her everything would be ok. I had to be strong so she wouldn’t be scared.
We were extremely fortunate because after 3 months she healed and now is a healthy happy athletic 10 year old. Instead of remembering the pain and fear of her experience, she jokes with her friends that it was a good thing she got ‘poked with a needle’ every week for months because now getting her yearly shots at the doctor’s office is nothing.
To honor the courage of moms, P&G launched the newest installment of the ‘Thank You Mom’ campaign, debuting the latest film in the series, ‘Strong.’
Grab a tissue and watch this video that celebrates how a mother’s courage in times of adversity provides strength for her children. This remarkable film exemplifies the pivotal moments that define the relationship between a mother and her child. To bring this to life, Simon Biles, Gabby Douglas, Dana Vollmer, Ashton Eaton, Allyson Felix, and their mothers are joining this program to impart advice about the personal strength they’ve needed that will resonate universally.
This follows the heartwarming “Pick Them Back Up” and “Best Job” films from the London 2012 and the Sochi 2014 Olympic campaigns, which were among the most viewed and shared Olympic videos of all time.
Mom Report
- Nearly all moms (98%) admitted that they did not anticipate the demands of motherhood with nearly two thirds agreeing that they needed to develop greater emotional strength once they became a mom
Olympian Partnerships
P&G Brands will once again partner with Olympians, Olympic hopefuls and their moms on the journey to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Athlete and mom partnerships include:
- Tide Pods athlete, Simone Biles (Gymnast) and mom Nellie Biles
- Pampers athlete, Dana Vollmer (Swimmer) and mom Cathy Vollmer
- Bounty athlete, Allyson Felix (Track & Field) and mom Marlean Felix
- Gillette athlete, Ashton Eaton (Track & Field) and mom Roz Eaton
- Venus athlete, Gabby Douglas (Gymnast) and mom Natalie Hawkins
For P&G, it is not about winning gold, it’s about celebrating the athlete and mom journey, because the unconditional love and strength a mom provides her children is their inspiration.
