The original "Darling Mother Dear"

     Once upon a time, there was a lovely young woman from Denmark who was brought into marriage with a cad of a British prince.  This young lady became Princess of Wales on her wedding day. I know what you are thinking...but you have the wrong lady.  This young princess was named Alexandra and it was the early 1900's.  Princess Alexandra was beautiful, self-assured, faithful and independent.  She had to leave her homeland and family whom she loved dearly and move to a land where her mother-in law was queen and ruler and nothing else mattered.  It was expected that all princesses would do what was expected of them and their lives revolved around the expectations of the Queen.   When her mother-in-law (Queen Victoria) demanded to stand in presence at the delivery of her grandchildren, Princess Alexandra simply adjusted her expected delivery date so that it would be impossible for the Queen to arrive in time for each of her "premature" births. 

Princess Alexandra with Eddy, George, Louise, Victoria and Maud

     Princess Alexandra gave birth to six children in all.  Her baby (Alexander John) died the day after his birth, her eldest child (Eddy) died as a young man, which left her with four children into mature adulthood.  Princess Alexandra was a mother unlike other royal mothers of her time; she rejected the custom that her children should be raised by a governess and kept from her company except for times of pageantry.  Princess Alexandra adored her children, she bathed them and fed them, she read to them and comforted them.  The children naturally adored their mother in return, as a sign of this devotion the children affectionately addressed their mother as, "Darling Mother Dear".

     As a young girl, my loves in this life were of God, my family and the British Royal Family (especially Princess Diana).  I remember the day I came across this heartwarming information about Princess Alexandra.  My mother and I were driving in the car, I was completely enthralled with a book Momma just bought me.  This book is still one of my very favorites, it is a collection of front pages of British newspapers from the time of Queen Victoria to Princess Diana.  Anyway, as I came across the article about Princess Alexandra and her beloved children, I announced to my mother that one day my own children should address me as "Darling Mother Dear".  I remember this struck my mother as very funny, I couldn't understand why.

     When I became a mother, "Darling Mother Dear" just never quite rolled off the tongue as I had dreamed it would.  Perhaps in the Victorian era this was a simpler term of endearment but in the modern era, not so much.   Well, it was about five years ago, my small children were behaving mischievously (as children sometimes do) I instructed the children to do something and in obeying my request, first they should respond, "Yes, Darling Mother Dear".   Well, this struck us all as so funny and the kids have used it ever sense.  When they use it in public I like to see the response they get from bystanders, and for those inquiring minds who want to challenge what appears a formal upbringing, I like to give them a real education in the British Royal Family.