THE QUESTION
It's coming up on Mother's Day – what do you do for your mom?
THE ANSWER
Happy Mother's Day to all moms and grandmas – especially to those whose roles are more complicated than most, like the approximately one million grandmothers in sub-Saharan Africa who raise their grandchildren orphaned by HIV/AIDS.
Though it's obvious to say that without mothers we wouldn't be where we are today, there are truly no words or gestures that can convey the appreciation for what these women contribute to our (their children's) lives.
As for our Mom, she's never been into flowers or gifts – given our busy schedules, she's most impressed with a long phone call or a visit. And at the risk of sounding like cheapskates, the most important thing we give Mom every year on this day is a heartfelt "thank-you."
Growing up, we felt like we were the most important part of our parents' lives. Both chose to be teachers so they could share summers with us, and both made countless sacrifices, big and small, to ensure we had a great childhood.
They took us camping and shuttled us to and from sports games, fundraisers and other projects of ours. They allowed our house to become the gathering place for our friends, who gradually came in greater numbers and from all around the world as Free the Children grew.
Mom and Dad frequently awoke to a house full of young activists sprawled in sleeping bags across the living-room floor, or came downstairs to a kitchen table covered in pizza boxes and scrawled action plans, or stumbled on corners of the house that were no longer a home but a headquarters. They gamely made industrial-sized lasagnas, and got stopped by the local pizza shop owner, who thanked them for being his best customers.
Eventually, when we were old enough and it was clear that the house wasn't big enough for all of us, it was Mom and Dad who packed their bags and moved out. They gave us a big hug, and they surrendered their home to Free the Children.
It couldn't have been easy to make some of the choices our parents made in allowing us to pursue our passions and projects. At the time, it was seen by outside observers as irresponsible to support instead of stop their 12-year-old from travelling to south Asia to study child labour, or their high-school senior to cease traditional studies and volunteer his last semester tutoring at-risk youth.
But Mom and Dad didn't reflexively say "No": They listened openly, helped us think our ideas through, and insisted on detailed plans that proved to them we would be safe. Craig enlisted a trusted older mentor with family in the region to be his guide in Asia, and Marc researched his options for night classes to finish his diploma while tutoring during the day. Both were experiences that shaped our lives for the better.
We write this weekly column on socially conscious choices, which are all about leaving the world in a better state than we found it. Parents have impacts far beyond their own choices and lives: Raising caring, compassionate kids is a great legacy.
We think we turned out all right in the end, and on this Mother's Day we say thank you to our Mom, for sacrificing, listening and helping us find our own way.
Craig and Marc Kielburger co-founded Free the Children. Follow Craig at facebook.com/craigkielburger and @craigkielburger on Twitter. Send questions to Livebetter@globeandmail.com.