Role Models of Motherhood

Growing up with These Female Role Models, It Is No Wonder That My First Job Was at the Age of Eight. I Picked Apples from Our Stout Tree That Shaded the Yard of Our Suburban Home. Crushed and Jarred, I Walked Door to Door Pushing My Wares in Our Red Wheelbarrow, Selling Applesauce to My Neighbors. This Venture Proved Profitable and I Was Hooked. My Next Ventures Included Renting My Movies to the Kids Next Door, Starting a Gift Basket Company Marketed with Flyers I Designed on Our Lagging ’90S Desktop Computer, and Showing Movies and Selling Popcorn in a Vacant Shop in the Strip Mall Beside the 7-Eleven.

12 Summer Trips You Should Take with Your Mom

My Workaholic Mom Didn’t Prepare Me for Motherhood — but Here’s Why That Was Okay

Q: How I Learned to Be a Mother

When My First Child, Hannah, Was Born, My Plan Was to Succeed at Mothering Her, Like I Had Excelled at School and Life as an Artist and Writer. I Learned from Mom and Rose to Decide What I Wanted, Then Go Get It: Goal, Action, Pay-Off. It Was a Logical Progression. Motherhood, I Discovered, Was More Emotional Than Logical.

By David Miller

• Oct 8, 2026 • 6 min read

My Workaholic Mom Didn’t Prepare Me for Motherhood — but Here’s Why That Was Okay

Direct Answer • Key Takeaway

I Didn’t Learn About Motherhood from Watching My Mom. I Was an Only Child, and for Whatever Reason, It’s Hard to Observe the Act of Mothering When You Are the One Being Mothered. What My Mom Did Model for Me, However, Was a Relentless Work Ethic.

David Miller

Executive Financial & Market Analyst

David Miller brings 15 years of experience in global economics, personal finance strategy, and market dynamics. He specializes in turning complex economic trends into actionable insights for everyday readers.

Tags: how i learned to be a mother