Moms hug and tug on your heart

You can't clone a mom.

It's fashionable these days to talk about Mr. Mom.

But we guys can't begin to measure up when it comes to this mothering thing.

For one thing, it doesn't come with a remote control.

Children would be running around barefoot and in ragged shorts if the world depended on men to provide them clothing.

I don't shop for kids clothes. Like mothers everywhere, Joni does that chore.

Becca and Bailey know better than ask me to buy them clothes. I'm lost with children's sizes.

I've tagged along a few times on clothing hunts, but I'm careful to stay out of the way.

Moms remember every stitch of clothing they bought their children. They know almost intuitively when the kids are growing out of their pants or need new shoes.

Joni knows where Becca and Bailey left their favorite shirts. She remembers that this shirt or that shirt is in the second drawer or was left on the computer table.

I couldn't begin to catalog their clothes, much less keep tabs on their location.

Moms are special. They seemingly have eyes in the back of their heads that allow them to see the kids trying to sneak a piece of candy. Dads have some of that knack too, but mothers have nurtured the skill to a fine art.

I have learned a few things as a dad, like how to heat up chicken nuggets or cook popcorn shrimp.

But most of the time, I leave the cooking to Joni.

She's also better at getting them settled down at night and getting them to put on school attire in the morning.

Moms are born with built-in planners. They remember when the kids have dance class, baseball practice, soccer games, piano lessons, Girl Scout meetings and a ton of other activities.

They generally do the grocery shopping too. They cope better with discount coupons and have an amazing skill to shop with the children.

I'd find it hard to buy a loaf of bread with the kids along for the ride. One time Joni sent me out alone to buy Halloween candy only to be horrified when I arrived home with enough candy for about 10 Halloweens.

Joni no longer sends me on that errand.

There's also the issue of laundry. I've learned to do laundry over the years, but I'm still without a clue about pre-treating Bailey's dirty shirts.

Moms have a knack for getting those nasty down-in-the-dirt stains out of their children's clothes. The whole laundry detergent and children's shoe industries would go bankrupt if it weren't for mothers.

Supermarkets would stick to basic meat and potatoes stuff if men did the shopping. They'd also have to stock up on more TV dinners.

Girl Scouting would be in serious trouble if it weren't for moms who volunteer countless hours as troop leaders.

Our youngest daughter, Bailey, just bridged over from being a Daisy Scout to being a Brownie.

That's huge. When you become a Brownie, you join the ranks of all those Scouts out there selling cookies.

Next year, Joni and I will have to increase our cookie budget since we'll have to buy those enticing treats from both our girls.

Moms are the ones who keep track of all those cookie sales.

They're always on the go. They don't mind shopping with the kids, taking them to school or generally serving as the family taxi driver.

Mothers are an amazing lot. They go through all this pain of child birth. If it were left up to men, we would pass on such an endeavor.

Perhaps most importantly, moms have an endless supply of hugs for their children.

Today, we celebrate Mother's Day. But the holiday is really a misnomer. In the world of parenting, every day is a mother's day.

Mark Bliss is a staff writer for the Southeast Missourian.