Utahns celebrate American motherhood
Mothering with intent, that's the philosophy Utah Young Mother of the Year 2010 Shauna Dunn uses daily.
"You can't just get up and go through the motions. You need to have a plan or intent of what you want your family to be," Dunn said.
The path to successful parenting has not been easy for Dunn, a mother of five, who said she never dreamed motherhood was even in the cards for her.
"I never wanted to be a mother growing up, I wanted to be a powerhouse woman on Wall Street," Dunn said. "I worked on my education goals, but then I ended up going to grad school and getting married and having children, which was not in the plan."
Dunn said her husband stayed at home at first while she pursued a career. After her third child, Dunn decided to give up her job to focus on being a mom.
"When I made the switch to being a stay-at-home mom, it was very difficult for me," Dunn said. "I remember going up to the foothills, looking out over the city and thinking, 'Why am I doing this?'"
Dunn said as she was driving home, a powerful impression came to her and she started writing down all the things she wanted for her family.
The notes eventually transformed into her family's motto: S.P.I.C.E.S.S., an acronym for spiritual, physical, intellectual, creative, emotional, skills and social. Dunn said members of her family try to do something from each category every day to lead a fulfilling life.
Shirley Tong, Utah Mother of the Year 2010, said her family has found happiness and contentment through learning the value of hard work.
Even though she was given the award for her dedication to community and family, Tong said the experience was humbling as she reflected on her own mothering values that stem from her childhood in Hawaii where her parents grew papaya, bananas and raised chickens.
"My parents were both raised in Hawaii and Japan. They were very industrious and hardworking, honest people. I grew up feeling like it was important for my children to master that work ethic," said Tong, a mother of six.
"I trained them all to do everything and they used to grumble. Now they've grown with their own families; they really do thank me."
The awards for Utah Mother of the Year and Utah Young Mother of the Year were given by American Mothers Inc., a nonprofit organization of which Dunn and Tong are both members.
Founded in 1935, American Mothers Inc. is responsible for shedding light on the celebration of motherhood and credited with making Mother's Day a national holiday.
This year, five Utah women, including Dunn and Tong, attended the organization's 75th anniversary convention at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City April 29 to May 1.
Also in attendance were Deanne Taylor, current president of American Mothers; Linda Zenger, American Mothers parliamentarian, and Dixie Clifford, board member and Utah Mother of the Year 2009.
Clifford said the convention, which included speakers and mothering mentor sessions, was a chance for women to come together and strengthen the foundation of motherhood.
For those who want to join the nonprofit organization, Clifford said the best way to find a group that meets individualized needs is to visitwww.americanmothers.org.
Tong said she enjoys mentoring young mothers and being able to share her knowledge through the organization.
"You can't just get up and go through the motions. You need to have a plan or intent of what you want your family to be," Dunn said.
The path to successful parenting has not been easy for Dunn, a mother of five, who said she never dreamed motherhood was even in the cards for her.
"I never wanted to be a mother growing up, I wanted to be a powerhouse woman on Wall Street," Dunn said. "I worked on my education goals, but then I ended up going to grad school and getting married and having children, which was not in the plan."
Dunn said her husband stayed at home at first while she pursued a career. After her third child, Dunn decided to give up her job to focus on being a mom.
"When I made the switch to being a stay-at-home mom, it was very difficult for me," Dunn said. "I remember going up to the foothills, looking out over the city and thinking, 'Why am I doing this?'"
Dunn said as she was driving home, a powerful impression came to her and she started writing down all the things she wanted for her family.
The notes eventually transformed into her family's motto: S.P.I.C.E.S.S., an acronym for spiritual, physical, intellectual, creative, emotional, skills and social. Dunn said members of her family try to do something from each category every day to lead a fulfilling life.
Shirley Tong, Utah Mother of the Year 2010, said her family has found happiness and contentment through learning the value of hard work.
Even though she was given the award for her dedication to community and family, Tong said the experience was humbling as she reflected on her own mothering values that stem from her childhood in Hawaii where her parents grew papaya, bananas and raised chickens.
"My parents were both raised in Hawaii and Japan. They were very industrious and hardworking, honest people. I grew up feeling like it was important for my children to master that work ethic," said Tong, a mother of six.
"I trained them all to do everything and they used to grumble. Now they've grown with their own families; they really do thank me."
The awards for Utah Mother of the Year and Utah Young Mother of the Year were given by American Mothers Inc., a nonprofit organization of which Dunn and Tong are both members.
Founded in 1935, American Mothers Inc. is responsible for shedding light on the celebration of motherhood and credited with making Mother's Day a national holiday.
This year, five Utah women, including Dunn and Tong, attended the organization's 75th anniversary convention at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City April 29 to May 1.
Also in attendance were Deanne Taylor, current president of American Mothers; Linda Zenger, American Mothers parliamentarian, and Dixie Clifford, board member and Utah Mother of the Year 2009.
Clifford said the convention, which included speakers and mothering mentor sessions, was a chance for women to come together and strengthen the foundation of motherhood.
For those who want to join the nonprofit organization, Clifford said the best way to find a group that meets individualized needs is to visitwww.americanmothers.org.
Tong said she enjoys mentoring young mothers and being able to share her knowledge through the organization.
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