Mothers are our caretakers, protectors, and educators. They birthed us, fed us, and raised us. Their sacrifice simply cannot be repaid. Some people might have you believe motherhood is simple, that anyone can do it. But it takes a special kind of resilience to be a mother. For some women, being a mother is what defines their identity. Everything else is secondary. Such is the dedication and love that goes with the title. Mothers come from all walks of life; each with their own unique style of parenting. Each with their own challenges and triumphs. It’s not easy being responsible for another human being, but all things considered, they’re all doing an amazing job. In honour of Mother’s Day, we’ll be looking at some of the traditional mother figures in our lives that we need to pay homage to.
Working Mums
Juggling work and family sometimes isn’t a choice for many women; it’s the reality. As cost-of-living rises, so is the number of women (mothers) who are entering the workforce. One pay check just isn’t enough these days. Gone are the days where women can opt to stay at home and take care of the kids while their husbands go to work. Women are now at the front line of many successful organisations and some even own their own businesses. But working mums are under a lot of pressure. Even if they are the primary breadwinner, they may still end up doing a majority of the household chores. Society has never been kind to working mums, and that needs to change. More companies need to offer them more flexible working hours, paid leaves and options to work from home. Working mums sacrifice more than their time and energy to keep the family unit running. They sacrifice precious moments with their children.
Stay-At-Home Mums
On the other end of the spectrum, we have stay-at-home mums (SAHM) who face similarly unfair treatment at the hands of society. It’s a common misconception to say that stay-at-home mums have it easy. But stay-at-home mums do more than just cook and clean. They run errands, supervise house maintenance and repairs, plan important events, organise storage and even take the leading role in renovation projects. Moreover, many stay-at-home mums may have once been successful career women before giving up the corporate ladder to be a domestic goddess. People forget that motherhood is always a sacrifice, a sacrifice in the name of love. And putting a promising career on hold (sometimes indefinitely) is just as hard as being a working woman with a full-time job. Stay-at-home mums deserve as much recognition and respect as working mums.
Single Mums
If life as a ‘normal’ mum is hard enough, imagine what it’s like for a single mum. ‘Normal’ mums still have a spouse to shoulder the household responsibilities. To offer company, comfort, and emotional support. To take care of the children. Single mums on the other hand, have to deal with everything on their own. Whether they are divorcees, widows or simply choose the solo mum life from the get-go, being a single parent is such a hard but commendable sacrifice. To add to the pressure, single mums also have to fill in the role of the father. Especially if they were never married, have lost a spouse or are not co-parenting. All children need a father figure in their lives, as much as they need a mother figure. And single mums have to make sure their kids receive all the experiences that they normally would if they had a dad. But single mums are tough, they do the impossible every day and that alone deserves a standing ovation.
Retired Mums
Let be honest: a mother’s work is never done, so there really are no ‘retired’ mums. Even when your kids are grown with kids of their own, you’re still there offering your pearls of motherly wisdom. But the kind of retired mums I’m talking about are the ones who have exited the workforce. Empty nesters and senior citizens who are now living the good life. But don’t be fooled, retirement comes with its own set of challenges too. They may often miss their children terribly, and are often lonely. They may also be dealing with health issues and questions about their own mortality. Growing old is never easy, especially when you no longer have the vitality to pursue the things you once loved doing when you were younger. So, give you retired mum a visit once in a while. It will certainly brighten her day.
Mums with Special Needs Children
An overlooked category of mothers that needs special attention and recognition are the mothers of special needs children. These are the women who tirelessly and patiently care for children with congenital, intellectual and physical disabilities. Disabilities like autism, Down’s Syndrome, ADHD, cerebral palsy, deafness, blindness and many others afflict many children. These conditions make it difficult for sufferers to function in certain areas of their lives. Some parents choose to send their kids to a special needs boarding school. Leaving their care and education to the hands of professionals. But for the special needs mum, that responsibility is solely on her shoulders. She is the child’s caretaker and oftentimes even educator. One cannot even imagine the emotional and physical toll of caring for a special needs child. That is why special needs mums deserve more institutional and government support to lessen their burden.
Honouring all the Mums Out There
Motherhood is a full-time job, even when you have a full-time career. But it’s one of the most rewarding things that you can experience. Raising a child from birth to the cusp of adulthood. Seeing them grow up and learn and make mistakes and get back up stronger than ever is a priceless experience. You are entirely responsible for the fate of another human being. And while that comes with its own challenges, just seeing your child succeed in life is the only reward that any mother would ask for. So, in honour of Mother’s Day, let us celebrate all the mums out there. They’ve raised so many exceptional adults who are even now changing the world for the better every single day.
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