--- title: "Becoming \"That\" Mom by Sarah Reinhard" description: "Becoming \"That\" Mom by Sarah Reinhard" --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2009/09/11/becoming-that-mom-by-sarah-reinhard#) # Becoming "That" Mom by Sarah Reinhard Sep 11, 2009 8:06:57 PM  |  by [Sarah Reinhard](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/sarah-reinhard) [![reinhard_sarah](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/reinhard_sarah-150x100-28.jpg?width=150&height=100&name=reinhard_sarah-150x100-28.jpg "reinhard_sarah")](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/reinhard_sarah-28.jpg)I was minding my own business, really, talking to a mom friend and pushing my toddler on the swings. I didn’t ask the little boy to come up to me.  I didn’t even smile his way. But he did come up to me.  He wasn’t shy at all, and he even smiled as he asked me to push him on a swing. "Is your mom around?" I asked him, hesitating.  It’s not that I didn’t want to be friendly, but I wasn’t sure about this.  We live in the country, and I have no idea what the unwritten rules are for pushing a strange kid on a swing. "No.  Hannah’s here." He was undeterred.  I looked at my mom friend, who lived in the neighborhood, and she shrugged. I shrugged back and figured it would be OK. I lifted him up and put him in the swing.  I started pushing him and turned back to my friend. "Hey!" Apparently he wanted me to talk to him too. But when I turned to him, I saw, instead, a new face by the last remaining swing. "Push me too!" the new guy said, holding up his arms. I didn’t even ask him about his adults.  I just put him in the swing. And they did, in fact, want me to talk with them.  We talked about why living in a pineapple on the bottom of the sea might be uncomfortable, how big sharks get, and a few other important items I have since forgotten. When the babysitter came to retrieve Boy 1 and the mom (or was she an aunt?) came to get Boy 2, I smiled.  They smiled back, and didn’t seem to mind at all that some strange woman was pushing a blonde girl and their boys.  In fact, they thanked me. I can’t help but laugh.  Never once did I ever picture myself as that mom.  You know, the one with the gaggle of kids around her, some of them hers but most of them not.  I never thought of myself as a magnet for people under age five or as attractive to the preschool set. That day, at the playground, I had a glimpse, once again, at the many ways the gift of motherhood has made me a better person. Next time, I only hope that I’m on swing duty so I can have some more of those enticing conversations! **Copyright 2009 Sarah Reinhard**** * * ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2009%2F09%2F11%2Fbecoming-that-mom-by-sarah-reinhard%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2009%2F09%2F11%2Fbecoming-that-mom-by-sarah-reinhard%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2009%2F09%2F11%2Fbecoming-that-mom-by-sarah-reinhard%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=Becoming%20%22That%22%20Mom%20by%20Sarah%20Reinhard) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2009%2F09%2F11%2Fbecoming-that-mom-by-sarah-reinhard%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2009%2F09%2F11%2Fbecoming-that-mom-by-sarah-reinhard%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Sarah Reinhard](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/Contriubutors/SARAH%20REINHARD.jpeg) ### [Sarah Reinhard](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/sarah-reinhard) When she’s not chasing kids, chugging coffee, or juggling work, Sarah Reinhard’s usually trying to stay up read just one … more … chapter. She writes and works in the midst of rural farm life with little ones underfoot. She is part of the team for the award-winning *Catholic Mom’s Prayer Companion*, as well as the author of [a number of books](http://sarahreinhard.com/my-books/). ## Related Blog Articles [ Books, Hurting & Prayer with Sarah Reinhard Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2018/08/24/books-hurting-prayer-with-sarah-reinhard/) [ Baby Beginner's Bible Board Books Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2013/09/07/book-giveaway-baby-beginners-bible-board-books) [ Respect Life Books, Kids' Books, Good Books! Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2014/10/04/weekly-giveaway-respect-life-books-kids-books-good-books) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! Sign up to receive our free daily digest email. Copyright © 2026 CatholicMom.com. All Rights Reserved.