Have you talked to your mom today?

It isn’t easy for men to talk about their relationships with their moms. This is probably because we all have very different relationships with the woman who gave us life.

Some of us have always been taunted by the nickname “mama’s boy,” whereas some of us only see Mom once or twice a year and that’s more than enough. Some of us take care of Mom, and some of us are still taken care of by Mom. Some of us don’t even know our mothers- whether by choice or not.

Where do you fall?Never mind talking about Mom, some of us have trouble talking to Mom.

It’s these guys that I want to reach out to.

Have you talked to your Mom today?I have noticed that many men have some kind of “hang up” when it comes to their mothers. I mean, I know for myself, sometimes I have trouble understanding my mom and being interested in what she has to say. When she starts talking about old Mr. Jones and his latest hip replacement, I start to tune that stuff out. It sounds harsh, but I couldn’t care less. Then there’s Mom’s little voice on the voicemail. Just “checking in.” Maybe she has a little favor to ask of you. And did you get that promotion yet? Have you told your wife to stop feeding your kids trans-fats yet? After all, she heard all about how bad they are on The Early Show.

Is Mom meddling in our lives? Or is she just being Mom by nature?Guilt compounds with every message she leaves. You avoid her. Then you finally get around to calling her back. Maybe.

Sound familiar?A lot of guys feel anger, disgust, even rage toward their moms. Most of the time, they don’t even know why. Maybe it’s some leftover anger from issues growing up, or just being tired of her nagging, but we’ve all seen that guy who is pulling his hair out over Mom.Then there’s the other end of the spectrum.

You all know my producer, Big Lou. Well, Lou lost his mom when he was just nine years old. A couple of weeks ago on the show he offered us some insight that reminded us that it might be worthwhile to let go of the hang-ups we have with Mom, let go of the negative, and appreciate her for just being who she is: your one and only mom.When one of our callers expressed frustration with being financially indebted to his mother, Lou reminded him to stop blaming her for his guilt, and start being more appreciative of the fact that he has someone to help him out. Any other issues that get deposited into your head the second you deposit that check into your bank account, are your issues. And if you can’t deal with those kinds of dividends, don’t take it out on her- just don’t cash that check.

Whatever your relationship is with your mom, chances are, a little dialogue might help.If you feel it’s appropriate, tell her you appreciate everything she has done for you. Make it clear that even though you don’t always show it, and maybe you don’t always agree with her or feel like talking to her, inside your heart, you love her. And, if you are one of the guys fortunate enough to already have an open and comfortable relationship with your mom, all the more reason to give her a call to let her know how thankful you are for that.Not only will this make her feel good, but it will be freeing for you too.

Life is short. If mom was gone tomorrow, what would you wish you had said to her today? So have you talked to your mom today?

Maybe it’s time to pick up the phone.