What makes a great Mom?  Anybody can be a mother–but not everyone can be a “mommy.”  One thing my grandmother always said, is that “you only get one chance at it. Once they are grown, it is over.  I have learned from my mistakes but I can’t undo them.  To complicate things, I have to sit back and watch my children make the same mistakes and I can’t say anything or I am interfering.”
 
I think a great Mom is a good listener.  Hear what your children are saying.  A great Mom is a teacher.  Talk to your children especially when they have bad attitudes so you can “nip things in the bud before they sprout.”  Watch how they intermingle with their friends.  How do they treat them?  How can you teach them to improve their relationships?  Ask why they are behaving the way they are so they can learn to think things through.  When punishment is in order, ask them what they think they deserve.  Quite often they will think of a harsher punishment than you will, but let them know the final decision is yours.
 
Another attribute of a great Mom is dependablity and reliability.  Children must feel secure and know you can be trusted to tell the truth.  They need to know you will be there if needed.  Reliability is the ability to examine yourself and keep yourself in check so that your accuracy can be high when it comes to decision making and role-modeling.  Realiability also involves being able to admit when you are wrong and your child is right.  (It does happen, you know) This teaches them honesty with themselves and others.
 
Remember, your child is a gift from God.  You have only one chance to get it right.  So, do what it takes to get it right.