Teaching Nonviolent Atonement
Join the Raven Flock this Thursday, May 11, at 10:00 am CT for the next live RavenCast. Click here to participate this free webinar with your comments and questions about Mother’s Day. I’ll be talking with two of my colleagues at the Raven Review, Suzanne Ross and Lindsey Paris-Lopez, about mimetic theory the surprising origins of Mother’s Day, which people throughout the world will celebrate this Sunday. Oh, we’ll also be talking about power struggles with children. Because I’m a dad. And I need help … Below is a little preview of the upcoming discussion.
The Origins of Mother’s Day – A Protest of War
According to Wikipedia, “Mother’s Day is a celebration honoring the mother of the family, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds, and influences of mothers in society.”
But Mother’s Day isn’t just about sentimentality. Did you know that Mother’s Day began as a protest movement? The American origins of Mother’s Day go back to the Civil War era, when Julia Ward Howe wrote the “Mother’s Day Proclamation.” Her proclamation encouraged women throughout the world to unite in efforts to end war and foster world peace.
The first Mother’s Day in the United States was celebrated in 1908 by Anna Jarvis. She held a memorial service to celebrate her mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis, who was a nurse during the Civil War. As a nurse, Ann Reeves broke the divide between the North and the South by caring for wounded soldiers on both sides. Anna Jarvis was so moved by her mother’s care for others that she decided to fight for a national holiday called “Mather’s Day.” Mother’s Day would recognize all mothers, but it would particularly honor Ann Reeves, whose love for friend and foe was not only a protest of war, it pointed to a world at peace.
Parenting and Power Struggles
But there’s more to Mother’s Day. After all, it would be great to have a world at peace, but can we start with families being at peace? Particularly, my family?
What mother doesn’t know about power struggles with children? Fathers know this too, of course. I fall into power struggles all the time with my children. Whether it’s toys at the store or cleaning their room or doing their homework, the power struggles seem endless. Is it possible for families to live without power struggles? Can we learn to manage them in more peaceful and productive ways? Or are families eternally doomed to repeat the same power struggle patterns?
We hope you can join us this Thursday at 10:00 am CT with your comments and questions about this lively conversation about Mother’s Day! The webinar is free and open to the public. Click here on Thursday to join the discussion!
Images: Mother’s Day via Pixaby; War Protest via Flick, creative commons license, some changes made.
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