When it comes to advice, these moms know best

On this Mother’s Day weekend, we asked some Midlands residents about the best advice they got from their moms.

We’re sharing it here.

Henry McMaster

South Carolina governor

Mom: Ida Dargan McMaster

Best advice: “For as long as I can remember, she was telling me to quit worrying about things because it doesn’t do you a bit of good.”

Derek Scott

Voice of the Gamecocks for men’s basketball and baseball

Mom: Joy Bailey

Best advice: “She was a schoolteacher, so education is a priority to her. She encouraged me to get my master’s and told me to follow my passion. Both aspects of that were very beneficial.”

Steve Benjamin

Columbia mayor

Mom: Maggie Benjamin

Best advice: “My mom, Maggie Benjamin, always told me to treat all people with dignity and respect, that we are all children of God.”

Billie Williams

Lexington-Richland 5 District teacher of the year, Chapin High

Mom: Vicki Williams

Best advice: “My mom and dad are the proud parents of three educators. My sisters and I followed in my mother’s footsteps to become compassionate teachers. She provided us with simple advice through the years that we continue to fall back on each day. ‘Never settle for less than your best. Always give more than 100 percent of yourself to others and believe in yourself. God has a plan for each of us even if we don’t always understand it. He is always with you.’ My mom has served as a living testament to her own advice. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002 and again in 2007. She continued to teach and coach during these difficult times and I am proud to say she is a two-time breast-cancer survivor. My mom also holds the record for most state titles in South Carolina competitive cheer; winning 11 state titles in 14 years of coaching at Chapin High. I have served as her assistant coach for nine of those years, and there is nothing like watching her help young athletes achieve their dreams.”

Debbie McDaniel

Founder of Revente, Sid & Nancy and Revente’s Second Chances

Mom: Kitty McDaniel

Best advice: “It wasn’t what she said, it was her actions. I was lucky enough to have a mother and grandmother who I saw were always giving back to the community. Growing up I can remember the phone ringing at 2 or 3 in the morning from the Red Cross and my mom would have to notify the family if someone was killed. ... And when her father died, the way she doted on her mom to make sure she was taken care of. She suffers from Alzheimer’s now, and it’s like she’s my child.”

Lt. Curtis Wilson

Richland County Sheriff’s Department spokesman

Mom: Thelma Winckler Wilson

Best advice: “Never let them steal your joy!”

Meredith Atkinson

Executive director, Vista Guild

Mom: Suzie Gammon

Best advice: “ ‘Have faith’ and ‘This too shall pass.’ The two go hand in hand but my mom always tells me that my pain or heartache, or even just a bad day at work, is temporary. Telling me to ‘have faith’ and ‘it will pass’ reminds me I will come out on the other end stronger and better for it. It’s hard to believe her in the moment but she is always right. I never knew I could love my mom more than I did until I saw her with my daughter. That is a feeling you cannot put into words. I can only hope to be half of the incredibly strong woman she is.”

Bob Coble

Attorney, former Columbia mayor

Mom: Margaret Coble

Best advice: “What my mother did to inspire me was to persevere. She overcame the death of my father at a relatively early age (49), survived breast cancer and moved back to her hometown of Chesterfield (two doors down from Dr. Mac Leppard’s parents – the Providence Hospital cardiovascular surgeon who saved me!) and became the Chesterfield County Teacher of the Year (first grade).”

Leon Lott

Richland County sheriff

Mom: Madeline Lott

Best advice: “Always do your best!”

Todd Rutherford

S.C. House minority leader

Mom: Karen Rutherford

Best advice: “Nobody was better than us but we were no better than anybody else. Because of that, if someone needed help, then we needed to help them, because one day we might need help ourselves. ... She did always tell me I talk too much. She would always tell us to ‘Hush, hush, hush.’ ”

Gary Simrill

S.C. House Republican leader

Mom: Diane Simrill

Best advice: “Always be kind and considerate to others, even when you aren’t feeling kind or considerate.”

Scott Huffmon

Winthrop University political science professor, director of the Winthrop Poll

Mom: Christine Huffmon

Best advice: “The two main lessons I learned from my mom were about prayer and hospitality. She taught me to pray without ceasing and always remember to show gratitude for my blessings before pleading for help. She also taught me that if you open your home to someone, you should spare no effort in making them feel welcome. To this day, if you come to my house, we will start the meal by saying the blessing and you will eat better than you ever have before.”

Dawn Dawson-House

Mom: Mary Alice Dawson

Best advice: “My mother always told us, ‘Research and know your family’s history, don’t let anyone else define you, and above all, be true to your past.’ In my role as an adviser on the ‘Green Book of South Carolina,’ the first mobile travel guide to African-American cultural sites in S.C., I have been thinking a lot about history and heritage.”

Jim Hodges

Former S.C. governor, incoming president and CEO of national public affairs firm McGuireWoods

Mom: Betty Hodges

Best advice: “Mom taught me to believe I could accomplish anything. (She) taught by example. She went back to finish college after having three children. She finished her PhD the year I finished high school, and she taught college English into her 80s. She talked to her children about the value of education but, more importantly, she showed her personal commitment to it every day.”

Tracie Broom

Partner, Flock and Rally: Integrated Communications for a Brave New South

Mom: Nancy Broom, died in 2008

Best advice: “If you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say it at all. While I don’t let this stop me from speaking my mind when it’s important, it has been incredibly valuable in my transition to being a business owner. There’s a big difference between speaking your mind and saying negative things about others. You just don’t make progress or build a more connected community by spreading negativity.”

Colby Gallagher

Spokeswoman, Lexington County Sheriff’s Department

Mom: Denise Gallagher

Best advice: “Know when to speak and when to listen. My mom would always tell me I needed to learn when to be quiet and take in my surroundings because one day it will be an important skill. I’m now in a field that is dependent upon having the ability to both speak well and listen carefully. If my mom hadn’t instilled that quality in me, I would not be where I am today. ... When people used to tell me I reminded them of my mother, I’d have a witty comeback. These days, I listen quietly and say, ‘Thank you.’ Thanks, Mom, I love you. Happy Mother’s Day!”

This story was originally published May 13, 2017 at 9:42 AM with the headline "When it comes to advice, these moms know best."