Margaret Kohnen

Many children say they are upset at their parents and soon wonder; Why has God even created parents? All they seem to do is boss us around. Over the years, I started to believe that we did not need parents, but they mean so much to us. Parents are there for their children when courage is needed, or when they need faith in themselves. My name is Eva Venema and I believe my mother, Margaret Kohnen is the best parent that could be given to any child because of her bright personality, her courage to fight for what she believes in, and her deep love for her family.

My mom was born in Heerlen, The Netherlands. Her parents were Sjef Kohnen and Mariana Szlanina. She already had an older sister named Monique, and soon would have a little brother named Pieter. Pieter and my mom were very close. "My brother has always been close, we did everything together," my mom said. My mom has told me that she tries to always be there for us all the time because she never got that experience as a child. "My parents were never really there for us, we would have a nanny taking care of us, and when we were together, my parents would only talk to each other," she said sadly. My mother, my aunt, and my uncle started to attend boarding school at an early age in Belgium. "I'll admit, I did not really enjoy being in boarding school, but it has formed who I am today," she said. "I believe entering boarding school has made her more courageous, because she was very shy before she entered," said my grandfather, Sjef. Margaret was in boarding school for six years.

As my mom got older, she started to learn how important it was to stay focused in school. "This is your only chance, and you should use it wisely," mom said sternly. "She always worked hard in college, striving for the best," said my father. My mom met Rienk Venema in college in a student society called Albertus Magnus. "Margaret was very smart, funny, and outgoing, but she was different from many of the students because she went to the boarding schools," said Rienk. Rienk was studying to become a professor in statistics while my mom was studying to become an attorney. They became very close friends. After college, Rienk proposed to my mom and she accepted. He knew she would only accept after college was over. "Focus on your school work, don't even think about having a boy friend until college is over," she would emphasize. Two years later, I was born. "I always wondered if I would I have a daughter, and I got a very special one," she said sweetly.

As my life went on, I started to realize how important my mom was to me. I noticed other parents and saw the difference between my mom and those parents. She has always pushed that work is so important. "Margaret has evolved a lot ever since she was little, and I am happy that she is now," said my grandfather. My mom has always been very bright, from her clothing, to her handwriting. She has made very hard moments in my life easier when she talks to me. I now have thought about how I can be rude to her and how she has committed her life to us, so I start to think before I say something to her.

Parents can be harsh at some parts of your life, but it shows their love for their children. Many kids don't understand it, but it is so true that they do everything in love. My mom has been so great, I do not think I would be who I am without her. So if you see a loved one, just show how much you appreciate them. Maybe someday, you will realize that your hero has been next to you all your life.