A mother is ‘an honor, God-given privilege’: Dr. Olga Husbands

Dr. Olga Husbands, a proud mother of three young ladies and one young man, who has been a nurse for over 30 years and a nurse leader for over 15 years, says that being a mother is “an honor, a God-given privilege and one of the most important occupation a woman can have.”

“As a mother, you not only take care of your own children but also your nieces, nephews, extended family members, the friends of your children, and even those children who are in your place of worship,” Dr. Husbands, who was born in Brooklyn to a Vincentian mother and Guyanese father, told Caribbean Life on Monday.

“As a mother, it is important to realize you are a role model, teacher, advocate and mentor for your children, as well as those children you may encounter,” added the president of the Brooklyn-based St. Vincent and the Grenadines Nurses Association of New York, who is also a nurse manager at NYU Langone Health in Manhattan, leading nursing staff in the development of processes that support the coordination of operational systems and clinical practice.

“Being a mother also requires being patient and taking the time out to understand your child,” continued the president-elect for the Caribbean American Nurses Association, program coordinator for the Greater New York Nassau Suffolk Organization of Nurse Leaders and coordinating secretary for the New York Black Nurses Association.

Dr. Husbands, a Canarsie, Brooklyn resident, said that a mother does not necessarily need to be biological.

“She can be an aunt, Godmother, teacher or a strong pillar in the community,” she said. “She is a consultant, an advisor, a mediator, cheerleader, and gives support when needed most. She will let you know when you are wrong and give you praise when you are right.

“If there is a failure, she will consult and be that shoulder to cry on,” added Dr. Husbands, who holds a Master of Science degree as an Adult Nurse Practitioner from Adelphi University,  a Doctorate in Nursing Practice from Wilkes University, and is a board-certified Orthopedic Nurse. “She will then let you know that, when you are down, there is only one way to go; and, that is up.”

Dr. Husbands said she does not believe a mother should be a child’s friend, stating: “That is when respect can be lost.”

However, she added: “As mothers, our children must realize we are more than a friend can ever be.

“As a child brought up in a Caribbean household, we were taught manners and respect, which were enforced by the saying, ‘spare the rod and spoil the child’”,” Dr. Husbands said. “We knew, when your mother gave you an eye, how to behave. As parents, we also have to ensure manners and respect are passed down to our children.

“In this day, we may not use the same type of discipline as we received, when were young, but our children must know that there are consequences for unacceptable behavior,” Dr. Husbands continued. “I feel that some of the children today lack discipline that many of us grew up with. It takes a village to raise a child, and I was fortunate to have my mother (God rest her soul) to help out, when I had to work on the evening and night shifts.”

She said, though she worked hard and went to school, it was important, as a mother, to make time for her children.

“We would go to Barnes and Noble to sit, read and purchase books,” she said. “It demonstrated the importance of education and opening their minds.

“Church was mandatory,” Dr. Husbands added. “And whatever extracurricular activities, such as dance or gymnastics, or even a movie day as a treat, were means not only to keep them occupied but to also spend quality time with them. Most of all, to show them love and that I am here for them.”

Dr. Husbands said her children are “my life; and, as a mother, I hope that I have laid a good foundation for them; that they can carry on in their adult lives with dignity and respect for themselves, to be respectful of others, and to be good parents to their children.”

She disclosed that her nursing profession inspired her youngest daughter to also become a registered nurse; her eldest daughter is “very active in promoting Vincy culture in her spare time”; and her son is self-employed and “a proud father of four girls and one boy, like himself.”

“In total, I am blessed with eight grandchildren whom I nurture and support,” Dr. Husbands said. “I also have a stepdaughter, who is on her own and doing well.

“My message to young mothers today, take some time out of your busy schedule and talk with your child,” she added. “Put down the electronic devices and ask how was your day; look at their schoolwork; praise them for good works; and, when things are not so great, ask them what they could have done differently or how they could have made things better.

“Our children emulate what is being portrayed,” Dr. Husbands continued. “If they see you on your device all the time, they will do the same. If they see you volunteering, they, too, will volunteer. If they see you doing chores, they, too, will follow suit.

“Most of all, take them to church, and teach them to pray and honor God,” she urged. “We, as mothers, are given the opportunity and the privilege to mold that person into the best human being they can possibly become. Wishing all mothers a very happy and blessed Mother’s Day!

Wishing all nurses happy Nurses Month!”