Moms make things happen.

I just read an article in Inc. Magazine about how United Airlines lost a teenager’s luggage containing $2000 of lacrosse gear and how her mom took matters into her own hands to get it back. Because her daughter had put an Apple Air Tag tracking device in her bag, Mom could see the bag was at baggage claim in Chicago, even though the airline said it had never left Baltimore. Tired of waiting for the airline to solve the problem, she cashed in some frequent flyer miles to fly from her home in Denver to Chicago, where the bag was sitting in unclaimed baggage area, retrieved the bag, and took the bag home with her. You go, girl! You can read the article here.

I have to tell you: I wasn’t surprised one bit to read that a mother who didn’t trust the airline to get the bag back to her daughter was the one who solved the problem in her own way. Moms make things happen. No, not every mom could or would go to extremes to help their kids, but lots of us would. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t mean helping them in ways that will hurt them. I don’t mean doing their homework. I don’t mean posting on the college parents’ page asking for tutors for their college student or trying to help them find friends. I don’t mean rescuing them from every bad situation. Kids need to learn to handle things on their own. However, sometimes a teen is not equipped to handle something.

And that’s where Mom comes in.

I truly believe being a mom is the single most important job in the world. Sure, we need a president. We need doctors. We need coaches and teachers, but Mom? A good mom is multi-talented and has knowledge about lots of things. A good mom nurtures, acting as a nurse. A good mom listens, acting as a counselor. A good mom encourages, acting as a coach. A good mom teaches, acting as a teacher. A good mom protects, acting as a security officer. A good mom guides, acting as a captain. A good mom instills morals/beliefs, acting as a spiritual leader. A good mom nourishes, acting as a chef. A good mom puts in the time. A good mom does it all. A good mom makes things happen.

One thing I know for sure: my daughter knows I always have her back. I always have her best interest at heart…just like my mom did before I lost her six years ago. She knows I will hop on a plane to help her. She also knows I will not live her life for her. I wouldn’t dream of calling or emailing a college professor. I won’t try to find friends for her or tutors. She has learned her own problem-solving skills by doing things herself…and by observing over the years.

But would I catch a flight to pick up her bag filled with lacrosse gear that had been abandoned by an airline in an airport? You bet your sweet bippy!

So am I surprised the mom in Denver flew to Chicago to fetch her daughter’s bag? Not one bit.

There are, however, some lessons to be learned here. First, when you fly, ALWAYS MAKE SURE YOUR CHECKED BAG IS TAGGED FOR YOUR FINAL DESTINATION…look at the check bag tag and make sure it has “Los Angeles/LAX” (or your destination) on it before releasing it to an agent. Second lesson? Purchase some Apple Air Tags or Tile Pros to stick in your checked bags, so you know where they are! You won’t be surprised to know that, after reading about the girl’s luggage issues, I’m purchasing some Apple Air Tags and some Tile Pros for our family for Christmas. Purchase Tile Pros here. Purchase Apple Air Tags here. They make great Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers!

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