learn from your mother, after all, she is the best teacher and has done a fine job of bringing you up. So, let’s celebrate our mothers and thank them for turning us into fine women, writes Priyanka C Raina
It was Mother’s Day last month and I remembered when I was growing up, we weren’t that exposed to such days and celebrations. For us everyday was mother’s day! As children we went everywhere with our parents; trips, family holidays and were given a set of rules and that was it, the gospel truth — do as your parents say, appreciate it and move on. Dressing too was just so simple!
And then I became a mother and began to relate better to my mother’s advice. She had been through it and brought up three children and did a fantastic job! I had her to turn to when I had my daughter. However, in today’s world everything is different. Being a first time mom, I am worried about what my daughter wears and what she puts into her mouth. My mother never had these choices; organic cotton for dressing and baby food for eating! We just ate what we were given and never had so many choices. Today, these choices can be confusing and overwhelming for new moms! But I guess as times change, new discoveries are made and what was okay then, may not hold true in today’s world. And that is alright, we all learn to make do with what we have and move on and adapt to these changes. And most of us, we learn from our mothers, because at the end, it’s true, they know best!
Modern women today have much to be thankful for. We have fantastic support systems in place and there is so much literature to learn from when it comes to raising a child and help. But all this literature doesn’t help when your child comes into this world. That’s when chaos hits and it can leave you overwhelmed and once again, you can turn to your mother, who will always be there to guide you and see you through it all. The very vulnerability of my baby, her fragility and her dependence on me for everything, was, in itself, breathtaking. Sometimes it was overpowering and sometimes it was daunting. There’s a learning curve attached to this process of being a mother, and it gets better each day and improves. You learn to understand your child and their needs. You equip and adapt yourself to changes and learn to manage time.
My daughter was born last year and is now turning one. My world changed around me. For starters, I thought I was ready to be a mother! But nothing prepared me for the miracle, the joy, the tears and the smiles and everything else that followed once my daughter was born. Truth be told, I had no idea what to expect, let alone how much my life was going to change once my baby came into this world. Motherhood is the most underrated game changer in life. It shows you all your strengths and vulnerabilities, and it sure makes you a better person. Of course, with responsibility came accountability. Suddenly everyone around me had an opinion and kept giving me pointers on how I should raise my child. It definitely made me question myself, was I not fit enough to be a good motherIJ Was I even ready to be a momIJ
Speaking from experience I can say that young mothers everywhere should be prepared. It’s a series of questions and the answers definitely don’t fall in a chronological order.
The bond that a mother and child have is special, incredible and just a beautiful feeling that makes you forget everything that transpired, no matter how painful or long the labour was. Your body takes time to heal and recover and yes, there may be a few challenges ahead, but the look of your tiny one’s face confirms that it was and will be worth it.
I see my daughter changing every day. Each day, this bundle of joy surprises me. I see her imitating me a lot and she tries to copy the way I eat, talk, my movements and gestures. last week, we were travelling for IPl, and I let my daughter run around at the airport. I watched her actions and movements and suddenly she would walk, crawl, and turn around look back to see familiar faces and run a little further. It was then in that moment, I realised there was a sense of responsibility and acknowledging familiar faces and her knowing how far to go, look back and find us! While she may only be turning 1, it doesn’t stop the little one from knowing her mind and doing things as she sees them. Mothers are the ultimate role models for your child; they can process and understand just about anything, even though they may not be able to say it out loud. Your children have their own personalities and each child is different. Allow them to seek and explore and develop their own identity.
Discipline and routine are very important. Set your timelines and routine into place and follow that. Your child needs that. And you do too! It sure gave me a sense of perspective as well as a sense of control on my time.
While some pregnancies are planned, some are surprises but as a mother you need to prepare yourself and be emotionally ready. learn from your mother, after all she is the best teacher and has done a fine job in bringing you up!
So, let’s celebrate our mothers and thank them for turning us into fine women and preparing us for all that lies ahead. Chances are we’re probably not even half the women our mothers are, but we can always try to do better and no matter what we do, we always have a helping hand overseeing us!