Mothers are the child first interaction with the outside world. A child starts to learn from the moment it’s in its mother’s womb. Science and research have shown that the first five years of life are very critical and central to a child’s learning journey. It’s during this time that that a child brain undergoes immense growth and development. It therefore very important that the parents, family and community provide stimulating and engaging experiences that enhance the child’s brain development. These crucial first experiences lay the foundation for developing a child’s speech, language development, social skills and emotional regulation.
There are many types of mothers in the society. One self-introspective question that every mother should ask themselves is “ What kind of mother am I? This question deserves an honest answer as its impact lasts a lifetime and even probably even a generation. Answers could be as varied as the number of mothers we have. Some of the answer could be as below
- A happy mother
- A sad mother
- An anxious mother
- A scared mother
- A single mother
- A forgetful mother
- An abusive mother
- A present mother
- A mother in an abusive relationship
- A mother who is struggling
- A mother without faith
- An abandoned mother
- An angry mother
- A hopeful mother
And the list is endless.
Motherhood is intentional, it is a choice a woman makes every day. “The natural state of motherhood is unselfishness.” – Jessica Lange. It is a choice to put someone else’s happiness and wellbeing before your own, to teach the hard lessons and to do the right thing even when it’s not very clear what the right thing is.
It is important to note that motherhood and how we show up as mothers is heavily influenced by how we view ourselves. It is therefore important that every mothers seeks their own individual personal growth and development. A wholesome thriving mother will benefit her children more and will be able to pour more into their lives. It is therefore important that we as women seek opportunities to grow ourselves and our identities so that we are not solely defined by our motherhood role.
Motherhood is not an easy journey. Let us have courage to seek help when the challenges overwhelm us Above all let every woman learn to forgive herself over and over again for at times getting it wrong in this journey and learn from their mistakes and show up better.
“Life doesn’t come with a manual. It comes with a mother.”
Happy Mothers Day!