Category: Mother

A mother will do anything for her child. She will stay up, hours a night, doing homework with her “baby.” Run around grabbing materials for her kids’ school project. They will drive two hours to go to her daughter’s softball game. Drop anything she can to pick her kid up from school when they are sick. They would move mountains for her child if she could. Some, even though it is very wrong, would kill for their children.

My mother wouldn’t exactly kill for me, but all those examples you just read, have been done by my wonderful mother. It’s not even just me she helps! She has helped hundreds of other kids as well! She has been a Guardian Ad Litem for as long as I can remember. She helps with adoptions, placements, and a bunch of other cruddy stuff that she has to deal with. Yet after all this stuff, she still makes time for me.

My mom has canceled so many home visits, just to be able to make it to softball games. She has had to reschedule meetings, so she can come pick me up when I am sick. Mom has had to reschedule her whole life for me! She cooks for me every night if we are home. It’s crazy how many things she has done for me.

For almost fifteen years she has dealt with my father and I together. Plus her job and duties as a wife/mother. As well as all the stress from her job. The other day, she had a day off and she stayed home and cleaned all day! I know my mom would do anything she can for my dad and I, so I need to step up and start sacrificing my time for her as well. It would help her out a lot.

My mom has done so many more things for me than what I just listed. Last weekend, she spent quite a handful of money on my clothes for FFA. A mother will do anything for her child. She will stay up, hours a night, doing homework with her “baby.” Run around grabbing materials for her kids’ school project. They will drive two hours to go to her daughter’s softball game. Drop anything she can to pick her kid up from school when they are sick. They would move mountains for her child if she could. Some, even though it is very wrong, would kill for their children.

My mother wouldn’t exactly kill for me, but all those examples you just read, have been done by my wonderful mother. It’s not even just me she helps! She has helped hundreds of other kids as well! She has been a Guardian Ad Litem for as long as I can remember. She helps with adoptions, placements, and a bunch of other cruddy stuff that she has to deal with. Yet after all this stuff, she still makes time for me.

My mom has canceled so many home visits, just to be able to make it to softball games. She has had to reschedule meetings, so she can come pick me up when I am sick. Mom has had to reschedule her whole life for me! She cooks for me every night if we are home. It’s crazy how many things she has done for me.

For almost fifteen years she has dealt with my father and I together. Plus her job and duties as a wife/mother. As well as all the stress from her job. The other day, she had a day off and she stayed home and cleaned all day! I know my mom would do anything she can for my dad and I, so I need to step up and start sacrificing my time for her as well. It would help her out a lot.

My mom has done so many more things for me than what I just listed. Last weekend, she spent quite a handful of money on my clothes for FFA. She has not just grabbed the materials I needed for a school project, but she also helped me work on it. We have stayed up till 11:00pm doing algebra and english homework. It’s insane all the stuff a mother will do for her child. It’s crazy what my mom has done for me on a daily basis.

After Caryl and Granddaddy Scott’s wedding, they got an apartment in Atlanta, Georgia where Granddaddy Scott continued attending Georgia Tech until he got a degree in industrial management in 1955. He had spent his first year of college at Virginia Military Institute but had a bad experience with hazing and decided to transfer to Georgia Tech where he thrived. His roommates were two of his childhood best friends, Pete Thomas and Jimmy Keyton. Caryl had been attending Randolph-Macon College but dropped out to begin her married life with Granddaddy Scott. A few months later, on May 5, 1954, my mother, Holly Scott, was born.

Once Granddaddy Scott graduated, he moved his new family back to Thomasville where he took over Scott Construction Company. Caryl and Granddaddy Scott went on to have three more children after my mother: Cochran, Jr., Margaret, and Robert. While Caryl was in the hospital giving birth to Robert, the family moved into a large brick house Granddaddy Scott built on the corner of Old Monticello Road and Plantation Drive.

Aunt Dot married Uncle Lint on September 25, 1954, shortly after my mother was born. Like Uncle Bird, Uncle Lint also fought in World War II although he served in the Air Force. Despite Uncle Lint’s fear of getting married in Thomasville after attending Caryl and Granddaddy Scott’s wedding, he and Aunt Dot got married in the church she, Granddaddy Scott, and their older brother, Uncle Fred grew up going to, First Baptist Church. After living briefly in South Carolina, Aunt Dot, and Uncle Lint moved to Savannah, Georgia to take over another family business, Scott Concrete Pipe Company. They had three children, Theresa, Allison, and Linton, who they raised as members of Bull Street Baptist Church. They built a big brick house on Grimball Creek which is a brackish river that attaches to the Skidaway River which attaches to the Wilmington River which attaches to the Atlantic Ocean. Many years later, I would spend my childhood vacations swimming there.

Aunt Dot and Granddaddy Scott’s older brother, Uncle Fred, served as a hospital administrator overseas in the Army during World War II and then moved back to Thomasville where he went into politics like his father. While overseas in the Army, Uncle Fred fell in love with a woman whom Mama Elva strongly disapproved of. Mama Elva demanded Aunt Dot and Granddaddy Scott write Uncle Fred several letters pleading with him not to marry her. Aunt Dot told me she didn’t care if Uncle Fred married the woman, but sat in Mama Elva’s living room and wrote down verbatim what Mama Elva told her to. Uncle Fred granted everyone’s wishes and came home a single man. Aunt Dot went on to introduce him to Mary Andrews who was her summer roommate at the University of Georgia where they both were attending. Aunt Dot was a Chi-O and Aunt Mary was a Tri Delta. Aunt Dot brought Aunt Mary home to Thomasville for a visit and introduced her to Uncle Fred. They fell in love, and Mama Elva was elated with the match. Aunt Mary and Uncle Fred got married on June 23, 1951, in Aunt Mary’s hometown, Toccoa, Georgia. Aunt Mary moved to Thomasville to start her married life with Uncle Fred, and they eventually went on to build a big tabby house across the street from where my mother lives to this day and raised their three children: Freddy, David, and Martha. Aunt Mary, Uncle Fred, and their three children were members of First Baptist Church where they attended regularly and Mama Elva sang in the choir. Growing up, my mother was extremely close to her cousins on the Mitchell and the Scott side of the family and to this day they have a lot of fun when they get together. There is a lot of love between them.

Down one side of Old Monticello Road from the house my mother grew up in is Glen Arven Country Club and down the other side of Old Monticello Road is Jerger Elementary School which at the time was grades one through six. My mother, her siblings, and their Scott cousins grew up being Jergersauruses and would walk and ride their bikes to and from school. They could also walk and ride their bikes to the country club whenever they wanted, which they did, and my mother and her siblings were able to freely use Granddaddy Scott’s charge account.

In the fourth grade, my mother became best friends with Mary Ann Murphy who lived on the corner of Gordon Avenue and Junius Street. They would ride their bikes to the country club and go swimming. In the seventh grade, my mother and Mary Ann began attending Thomasville Junior High School which was located down the street from Mama Elva’s house. By this time, my mother and Mary Ann had also become best friends with Charlotte Slaughter and Philip Faulk, and they would walk over to Mama Elva’s for lunch and Lola Bell would make them something good. Lola Bell was Mama Elva’s housekeeper, and she was famous in our family for her cooking. Her specialty was hoecakes.

In 1969, my mother graduated Thomasville Junior High School and began attending Thomasville High School which connected to the junior high through a breezeway which meant lunches at Mama Elva’s continued. Mama Elva had a playhouse by her rose garden for my mother, her siblings, and their cousins to play in. There was a den, a luncheonette, and a bathroom. My mother and her siblings threw many parties there. Mama Elva adored her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and bent over backward for our pleasure.

As a teenager, my mother occasionally worked at the Gift Shop which is located downtown across the street from where Hollybrook was. The Gift Shop has always been a special place for my family. It was owned by Caryl’s best friend, Anne Searcy. Anne was 23 years older than Caryl and never had any children of her own. She became extremely close to the Mitchells who thought of her like family. My mother felt like she grew up at the Gift Shop, because not only was she close to Anne, but Aunt Billie worked there as well. No one remembers exactly how old Aunt Billie was when she started working at the Gift Shop, but she is rumored to have been a teenager.

Aunt Billie and Uncle Bird ended up having three children: Fondren, Ginny, and Freddy. Caryl and Aunt Billie remained close which resulted in my mother and Ginny being close. My mother is six months older than Ginny and was in the grade above her in school. Aunt Billie always had a soft spot in her heart for her youngest, Freddy.

Aunt Billie had a special soul. She rarely allowed herself a free second and spent the majority of her time helping others. She and Uncle Bird were a lot of fun and everyone thought so. When Granddaddy Mitchell’s ranch sold, Thanksgiving began being spent in Thomasville, and Aunt Billie and Uncle Bird started hosting my favorite family party of the year, “Sausage and Biscuit Night.” It was always the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. All of the out-of-town relatives, including me and my immediate family while we lived in Virginia, rolled into Thomasville and then headed over to Springdale Circle. Aunt Billie and Uncle Bird invited everyone they knew which was a lot of people. Uncle Bird tended the grill cooking sausage, venison, bacon-wrapped quail, duck, and whatever else he and the others may have come across while hunting in the woods. People stood around him waiting for something hot while the kids, including me, ran around playing hide and seek in the dark, which was a lot of fun in their overgrown yard. Aunt Billie and Uncle Bird loved the woods, and you felt like you were in the woods at their house even though you were right in town on Springdale Circle.

After Granddaddy Mitchell left Vee for Beth, the Columns became too much for Vee to take care of on her own, so she and Weebo moved to where Aunt Billie and Uncle Bird ended up living, on Springdale Circle. By the time Weebo graduated high school and moved to Alabama to begin attending Auburn University, Vee had become a non-functional alcoholic. Eventually, Aunt Billie, Uncle Bird, and their three children ended up moving to Springdale Circle to take care of her. When Vee passed away in 1990, Aunt Billie, Uncle Bird, and Freddy continued to live in the house. After moving to Thomasville, I spent a lot of time at their house, because that is where Kate, Heather, and Mitchell stayed when they came to visit. Along with Liz, those three are Aunt Billie and Uncle Bird’s grandchildren and my second cousins. Liz was my best friend, and while our cousins stayed at Aunt Billie’s and Uncle Bird’s, Liz stayed with me. Aunt Billie went out of her way to make sure their visits were packed with a lot of fun. Since Liz and I were inseparable when she came to town, that meant I got to partake in the fun too.

Throughout my mother’s childhood, Scott Construction Company kept Granddaddy Scott out of town on business trips most of the time, when he often cheated on Caryl. Coming home did not stop his affairs, and my mother witnessed his infidelity firsthand and found it upsetting. Caryl and Granddaddy Scott were verbally abusive to each other, and Granddaddy Scott was physically abusive to my mother and her siblings. In the evenings, he would wait at the dinner table with his belt in his hand. It made Robert never want to go to dinner. “Spare the rod, spoil the child,” Granddaddy Scott would say. My mother and Robert got the brunt of his abuse because they were the wild ones. Robert was much worse off than my mother, however. Eventually, Caryl became a non-functional alcoholic just like her own mother Vee had become. Caryl would often confine herself to her bedroom and let the help take care of her children. Unlike Mama Elva, Uncle Fred, and Aunt Dot who had one housekeeper that worked for them over their lifetime, Caryl and Granddaddy Scott had a revolving door of help who changed so frequently that the only name that is remembered is of a nursemaid named Bepa who slapped my mother across the face in front of her cousins when my mother said, “Oh, shut up, Bepa!” I’ve been told Robert rarely made it to school and would sometimes show up in random neighbors’ kitchens asking for breakfast. One time, he was picked up by the police when he was found walking down Old Monticello Road alone. He wasn’t old enough to tell the police where he lived. All he told them was that his oldest sister’s name was Holly.

The house Granddaddy Scott built for his family was considered one of the nicest in town at the time, and Caryl decorated it exquisitely. Their home was a big, brick, two-story house with a swimming pool. When you walked in the front door, you entered a big area with stairs that led upstairs to my mother and her siblings’ bedrooms. If you kept walking straight, you entered the family room. In between the entrance and the family room was a hall that ran the length of the house and was parallel to the street. The kitchen was to the left and Caryl and Granddaddy Scott’s bedroom was to the right. When Granddaddy Scott was home, people remember constantly hearing screaming coming from the direction of Caryl and Granddaddy Scott’s room that echoed down the hall. Their bedroom was large with a sitting area where Caryl spent her time when she wasn’t playing tennis at the country club. Upstairs, my mother and Margaret’s bedrooms were to the left. They shared a shower but each had their own vanity. Cochran and Robert’s bedroom and bathroom were set up the same way to the right.

With Granddaddy Scott always out of town and Caryl confined to her bedroom, my mother and her siblings had the run of the place. Their friends described it as a madhouse where the kids raised hell because they could. At times, it was described as scary. I’ve even heard stories about Robert throwing knives at people including Caryl and Granddaddy Scott.

Call to Action – Maternity Leave

Legally mandated paid leave provides economic reimbursement when an employee is temporarily away from work after having a baby. Companies can implement benefits free-willed or government can legally mandate it. Most workers qualify for up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave through the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), but there is no federal paid leave program or legal mandate that goes along with FMLA to offset the lack of pay.

Some government officials believe the existing state of affairs is lacking and have driven for additional government action. During the Democratic presidential debates on November 20th, 2019 the candidates were asked about mandated paid leave. The candidates all gave different responses but overall agreed that something needs to be done. It is being talked about; we just need to give it that extra push to make it happen. Many states have introduced it into legislation; the trick is getting it voted into law. In recent years it has gotten closer and closer and then shot down by a minute margin.

One of the candidates is proposing The Family Act. Which would guarantee new moms 12 weeks of paid leave to care for the new baby and heal. This bill has been backed by every single Democratic senator. Hillary Clinton backed it; Bernie Sanders is currently backing it. Barak Obama endorsed a bill that was similar but not exactly this one. Kamala Harris took this problem and went a bit further with it. In her plan new moms would get six months of paid leave after having a baby to adjust and care for their new baby.

Admitting there is a problem is just one of many steps. The need for Legally mandated Paid leave for new moms in the U.S. is very real. The next thing new moms need is the execution of the new policies that are implemented. Assembling the legislative support required for such a change is very hard. Aimee Hosler from Busted Cubicle states “As with other major movements, supportive parental workplace rights will likely begin with concerned advocates willing to give voice to the issue by attending town hall meetings; preparing informative events and literature; writing letters and editorials; sending emails to legislators; and more”.

Here are a few resources worth looking into PLUS is an advocacy group working to secure family leave and A Better Balance is a family advocacy group that strives to promote family stability without sacrificing economic security. Last but probably the most important resource we have is The United States Government: Learn how to identify and contact your elected officials. Write them, call them, attend a rally, and make your voice heard!

Legally mandated paid leave is not just a policy that will help overwhelmed mothers according to the Senate’s Joint Economic Committee. Legally mandated pay is linked with fewer new moms having to rely on government assistance. It also shows greater health benefits for babies and parents. Less overwhelmed moms also tend to be much more efficient when they return to work.

With the 2020 elections fast approaching, we need to do our due diligence and contact our state representatives. We as a nation need to hold them accountable for the lack of support to mothers. We as a nation need to take action into our own hands, we will no longer let them brush this off. Women who become mothers should not be punished for their choices. We as a nation should demand mandated paid leave through improved parental leave laws in order to create a nation where every woman can succeed. Working moms need more support from our country to be able to make better choices for their families and themselves.

Being a mother is a 24/7 job, with no vacation, and no rest of your life. Being a mother is a special moment for every girl, like they found the light in a dark tunnel, but also being a mother is a hard job where you have to sacrifice your old habits, lifestyle, and love. This essay will talk about what it is like to be a mother, mostly about things only a new mother would relate to.

Firstly, being a new mom means not getting enough sleep. Babies are allergic to sleep and bed. If by chance you make them sleep or keep them on their bed by mistake, then boss, they will scream to the level which will keep you awake till the moon goes down and the sun goes up. Mothers, give up their sleep just to make their babies comfortable on their laps.

Sitting in one position for hours is typical for new moms. Breastfeeding is important for babies for their health and immune system, but it’s a challenge for mothers because sitting for hours in one position while holding a baby is like stretching muscles in different places for hours.

Being a mother of a small child means no social life for a few months. Before babies, life is simple. You get up early in the morning, do little bits of house chores, go to work, and then finally in the night you wait for your husband, and then maybe you both decide to enjoy some time with friends or some time alone. But with kids, mothers find it difficult to maintain a balance between social life and private life because babies need the highest attention from their mothers all the time.

In addition, newly turned mothers feel always tired because of lack of sleep, and sometimes lack of outings, because of which they get irritated and frustrated.

The passion for cleanliness in new motherhood turns out to be carefree. All ladies are cleanliness freaks when it comes to their house or even their room, but once they become a mother, their room always messes with baby bottles all around, diapers are all over the place, and toys are scattered in every corner. Suddenly they become carefree and they just wish for some alone time, even in a mess.

And finally, being a new mom means sacrificing your love life. Even though sometimes new mothers want to spend some time with their husbands, they find it almost impossible due to motherly responsibilities. They feel apprehensive about their marriage and sometimes also feel left out.

Turning into a mother from a wife is a hell of a change, life becomes a roller coaster with ups and downs, but also it is the biggest blessing of being a mother. Salute to all the mothers over there for sacrificing their health, lifestyle, and much more only for their kids. Mothers are real superheroes.

‘Mother’, such a small word, but is equivalent to the whole world. I credit my mum for giving a hand in shaping who I am today. She has displayed an exceptional image of a hard-working woman by showing her exceeding qualities in her daily life. She was born in a middle-class family on the 20th of April, 1980, in Amritsar, India. She is the second last child in her family, having 5 elder sisters and a younger brother. Due to the constant moving of houses, she attended several different schools. Her parents had not completed their education. Moreover, it was common for women not to work and for men to be farmers.

My mum did nursing in India and soon after got married in 2002 and then had me in 2003. My mum, dad, and I came to Australia in November 2005. She came here as a student and did a master’s degree in accounting. It was difficult for her to study as she struggled to pay the fees of her education as an international student. She finished her studies as well as got her permanent residency on the 1st of April 2008. Despite all the hard work to have her degree completed, it was very hard to get a job as everywhere she went for a job they asked her for work experience. She then decided to finish her nursing degree here. My mum was pregnant with my younger sister in 2006 while she was still studying for her degree. Before she had my sister, on the same day she went to give her final exam. During those years she worked as a personal care attendant for more than 7 years. In 2009 she had twins, my youngest sister and brother. She started her master’s of nursing in 2013 as she loved studying and still does with the same passion. A year later my dad got really sick and had to get surgery. My mum was managing her studies, the house, and expenses, my dad and us, all alone. She got through it all and finished her studies. The same year we decided to take a break since everything was getting better and went to America for a holiday. Though God had different plans. My dad and I had to come back early because he had to get some urgent tests done. When my mum came back, my dad had another surgery. She never spoke about if she was in pain or needed rest. She endured the struggle and always had faith in God to this day and always will.

She defines the world as selfless, as she always puts us or others before her. Her story is like a guide for me, it keeps me on track and focused on my goals. She always had my back and I really started to realize just how much she has inspired me in my own life. She gives me the courage every day to face whatever problem I may be in. Her story inspires me not to give up because she has gone through a lot of hurdles and I’ve only yet crossed the start. Be strong, especially in tough times, she tells me your true strength will be tested, and never let anything get you down. My mum is one of the strongest people I know, and I strive to be as strong as she is. She constantly pushes us to be better and to experience new things. She did it herself, and watching her stretch her limits has always encouraged me. Her story encourages me as we are living the life she never got to live, she has struggled to give her family a life in which they can live peacefully and happily.

Behind the successful and proud woman that my mum is today is a journey full of many hurdles that has inspired me. The perpetual need to keep her loved ones happy, as well as working hard in order to achieve her goals, despite the difficulties, has awakened me to take advantage of the opportunities life brings upon me. My mum’s journey has played an important role in impacting my life and has taught me to be grateful for whatever I receive as there are those that are less fortunate and are still gratified. I am a strong young woman because a strong woman has raised me.

I came across a story from bible.org website, about a little boy who forgot his lines in a Sunday school presentation. His mother was in the front row to prompt him. She gestured and formed the words silently with her lips, but it did not help. Her son’s memory was blank. Finally, she leaned forward and whispered the cue, “I am the light of the world?”. The child beamed and with great feeling and a loud clear voice said, “My mother is the light of the world”. Well, the boy is right. Mothers in numerous ways are the light of the world. That is why Mothers’ Day is set aside to appreciate our mothers for the things they have done for us.

This week, as I was praying and reflecting on Mother’s Day, a reading from 2 Timothy 1:5 came to mind. Paul wrote to Timothy and recognized ‘a mother’s faith’. What Paul wrote to this young man Timothy was amazing because, in those days, women were not recognized very often. Paul wrote: “I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know the same faith continues strong in you” (NLT). This is wonderful! Paul begins by recognizing the faith of these women and then he says that he can see Timothy living in the same faith. This is a great compliment. Paul calls it genuine faith. In NIV and NRSV Bible translations, it is referred to as sincere faith. What Paul is saying, these women’s faith, was authentic or real. That doesn’t mean they were perfect, but it means their faith was genuine. That is what impressed the Apostle Paul. Their sincere faith also influenced Timothy. As you can find from this verse, the faith of these women was transferable – from grandmother (Lois) to daughter (Eunice) and now to Timothy (son). I believe this relates to many mothers if not all.

Let me share a short story about my mother. My mother is called Esther. She is 92 years old. My mother being a mom was the same as being a Christian. She became a believer even before she got married to my late father at the age of 19 years old. So, being a Christian was the foundation for her life, and that is how she brought me and other siblings. My dad was a policeman, so most of the time he was away. My mother looked after us. She worked very hard to make sure we were provided for all of our needs. She made sure were well fed, and above all, she taught us the Bible and to love God, and she lived as an example for us. Like all mothers, my mother was the most optimistic person in the world when it came to her children. She was hopeful and confident about her children’s future and success. She had great expectations for her children. This is a story not just for my mother but for all mothers.

We may not meet the mother’s expectations, but nevertheless, a mother’s love is unending. Mothers never stop loving, just like God never stops loving us. Nothing we can do to stop them. How can mothers do that? It is by the grace of God, grace alone, that they never stop loving their kids.

Mother’s Day is to celebrate the sharing of God’s love by the moms in our lives and to thank all mothers, but more important to thank God who gave them endurance and everything they needed to care for us, to bind us our wounds and to wipe our tears. Moms who told us that we were the best even though we knew we were far from it. Mothers who believed in us and loved us even when the whole world turned against us. Mothers who put their faith in Jesus Christ and shared that love with us.

The word of God tells us to love unconditionally. That is what a mother’s love is like. That is how mothers love their children. When she stands at the door to welcome you home, that smile on her face is real. When she stands at the door to wave you goodbye, that smile on her face is real. She wishes you never go.

I would really like all of us to remember to honor our mothers, especially on their day, Mother’s Day.

To My Mom:

Why did you have to leave when you did? Why are you not here to watch and support my successes? Not having a mom through my teenage years is the hardest thing ever. I have had to teach myself things. I’ve had to learn how to cook and clean by myself, I’ve had to teach myself everything that a normal teenage girl’s mom would teach her. I had to pick up the “mom” role and had to take on a lot of responsibilities a normal teenager would not have. Sometimes I wish that you were here to give me the advice I need when I am struggling.

There is still so much I don’t know in this world, but I’m gonna have to teach myself that $h!t too. I don’t have you to stick up for me when everyone else is against me. I don’t have you to pick me up and tell me everything’s gonna work itself out. I do not have you to hold me while crying and tell me everything’s gonna be ok. I don’t have you here to say the right thing because you always knew what to say. I know that it wasn’t your fault why you left, but still not having you here is the hardest thing in the world. There is still so much you have not taught me and never will be able to.

Sometimes I question why you didn’t want to do anything to help and improve your health so that you could be here for me throughout my life. I do not understand why you just didn’t try. You are the best person I know and now I don’t have you here beside me. When I fall and feel like giving up I have to go back and think about all those times you said that no matter how tough this may be the storm will pass. I realize you always told me to be strong because you knew I would have to be for your loss. You have taught me to be a kind, strong, loving person and just having that really means the world to me. Even though you are not here to teach me things, you have taught me to be a good person and that is what really matters. You showed me that there are genuinely good people out there, but there are also manipulative people. Telling me I need to have a hard shell because life has many, many curve balls that are gonna knock me down and it is my choice whether or not I am gonna let those things keep me down or get up and keep trucking along. Some days are harder than others, but you taught me that giving up is never the way no matter how hard it may be. Only having you in my life for 14ish years is tough but through those years, you have given me the best advice anyone has ever given to me. I cannot express how much I miss you, I will never be able to go back on the things I did, but as you told me everything happens for a reason.

I remember when you were here like it was yesterday. I remember when I was in my room and one day you came in and told me this quote that I will never forget. “There are no limits to what you can accomplish, except the limits you place on your own thinking.” That really stuck with me because as I got older I started to understand the meaning of the saying more. You made me believe that I can accomplish anything that I want in life as long as I have the mindset. You used to tell me that I was so strong and that you were not worried about me because you knew that I was strong even when I fell. Without you here telling me these things every day is hard but I just go back and think of what you said and know that it is gonna be all ok and that I’m gonna get through this because I can push forward. Most of the time I don’t have the right thing to say but just thinking back to how you were made me want to be like you. You make me want to be a better version of myself and for that, I am extremely grateful because I am always wanting to improve myself for the better. I go back often to look at videos of us just being goofballs and seeing how funny you were in situations, and how you could make any day better. Those little things are what make me look back and really appreciate the moments we did have together.

Being a single mother could be difficult sometimes. You begin to wonder about how you are going to cope with raising your kid(s) alone and start to ponder on how well you can be a good mum and meet up your kid’s needs. There are a lot of problems that could arise from single parenting and it has a lot of impact on a child’s future. Arising from a lot of debates, fatherless kids have more potential of being deliquescent and retarded in both mental and educational aspects, though this might not necessarily be true, as we’ve seen countless fatherless homes produce kids with high intellects and outstanding achievements.

For starters, what does it mean to be a single mother? A single mother (single parenting) is quite different from co-parenting. While a single mom is one without a partner (dead or divorced), co-parenting refers to a situation whereby both parents agreed to raise their child, even though they are already divorced or not together anymore in one way or the other. A single mom has to depend on herself for the upbringing of her kids without equally relying on any individual or partner. She has to bear the burden alone and face whatever problem may arise during the course of single-parenting her kid(s).

Although single parenting could be quite difficult, there are lots of ways a single mom can manage and successfully raise her kid(s). Reaching out is the first way. Although a single mom has to rely on herself as a single parent, that shouldn’t stop her from reaching out to friends and families. The truth is that they can help her in one way or two: maybe spending some time to make her company and her baby, helping out with some baby tasks such as changing diapers (babies), or picking up her kid from school. Moreover, some could even give useful parenting advice to her and support her financially if possible.

There are possibly tons of things a single mom would be busy doing – being a single mom means bearing the burden of two. However, she must make a schedule of everything. Get a diary and make a list of everything she needs to do. To avoid overworking, she should remove unnecessary schedules and make time for her baby and herself. It is very important to be organized and plan things out well.

In addition, it is very helpful to avoid any depression triggers. For example, a single mother should never compare herself to other parents. Happy parenthood and happy partnerships are not always behind the outer smile. A single mom mustn’t allow anything to destroy her mood and composure. Why? Because of the kid! He or she is her reason to be happy! So what should she do to avoid depression? Just do something that makes her happy.

And finally, confidence. Every single mom needs this factor a lot. Believing in yourself is the first step to being a successful single mother. She has to believe that she can do it and she is going to do it. Without confidence, she will find things more difficult to do. Every step would become harder as she goes on and she will find herself eventually discouraged, hoping to give up if possible. This is how regret starts! So, it is important to be confident.

Single parenting for women is obviously not an easy thing to do, but there’s always a way to do it successfully. Do not be discouraged by anyone or anything and raise the kid well – because the result is always beyond our imagination!

Every day, I am reminded to believe in myself under any circumstance. Every day, I am reminded about how I am not different from the person across from me and to do the best I can in everything I do. Every day I am reminded of how far I’ve come and how much I have made this person proud. Every day I am reminded about how much this person believes in me.

Every day it’s from the same person. A loud ringing running through the entirety of my home, as early as four-thirty in the morning was a regular occurrence from my mother’s cell phone. She Turns off the alarm to stretch and goes to prepare breakfast. After making breakfast for me and my younger sister, she would begin to wake the two of us up. This was a normal routine for my mother growing up. My mother could do it all. Whether it was early mornings for piano practice or late nights from basketball and ballet practice. My mother did a lot for me and my sister growing up, not just because she wanted to but because she had no other choice.

Being a single parent is not an easy task for anyone. I am grateful for her commitment because seeing how hard she worked to assure our safety and to make sure we had an education influences me to work hard today. My mother was never married however growing up my father wasn’t always around, unfortunately like most fathers for African Americans. Growing up it felt like I had attended half the schools in Chicago because my mother felt they weren’t challenging me and my sister enough. Handling the two of us practically alone trying to enroll us in schools where we would be receiving critical thinking skills and getting something out of them. Purchasing school supplies, paying for school field trips, and making sure we had access to tutoring were stressful on their own. On top of handling her career.

At a young age, I realized how dedicated and busy she’d become to ensure the safety and well-being of all of us. One thing my mother wouldn’t get caught doing was asking for help from anyone. She was so independent and would follow through with everything. She grew to be my role model and her independence rubbed off on me. I learned to take responsibility for myself and my sister. I learned how to ask for help and educate myself and others. Just to attempt to make my mother’s life easier. While my mother was driving her way home I made it a priority to play her role at home. Having not only my homework but my sister’s homework finished and looked over so when my mother wouldn’t have come home from overtime fatigued, tense, and overwhelmed. Once my mother made it home both I and my sister tucked in. She would make her way to my bedroom to ask about my day and I would ask about hers.

We could’ve gone on for hours just talking but not only did she have to ask my sister but she had to wake up at nearly four-thirty and do it all over again. Years later as my sister and I grew older we made my mother’s work haul much easier. My mother’s character has influenced who I am as a person unlike anything else. My mother attended the University of Illinois at Chicago. Her perseverance motivates me to better my education and to pursue a career that I have a passion for. I am sure that during my time as a student at the University I will become more resourceful.

The author stresses the differences in maternity. The working women face a lot of challenges that can endanger the lives of the unborn child, also prevent the needed care for the born child. The author compares the lives of working women to past lives, where women did not go to work but engaged in house chores and craftwork. The women took great care of their children and raised them well compared to the working women who have less time for maternity, which is endangering the future generation. The author addresses the economy, culture, and politics concerning the working woman. Poverty has pushed women out of homes to work in the factories characterized by extreme harsh working conditions whereby they lift heavy loads, inhale fumes and stand for long hours, which can endanger their lives and those of unborn babies. There exists a great culture in the society whereby a child is viewed as a source of joy, and the people help the mother during the maternity period. However, laws and policies should be set to protect and ensure the working mother by making sure that women and girls are not subjected to work conditions that may risk their health or endanger the future generation. Working women have the unit and fight for the demands that will shape the future of the world by restoring the pride and joy of maternity.

The “working woman and mother” by Alexandra Kollontai is an educational story that provides insight into motherhood. The author explains how there is a motherhood gap which gives examples of two different women. Mashenka, the wife of the factory’s director, is expecting a baby who is the heir of the husband. The laundress, maid, and dye-worker in Mashenka are also pregnant. The director’s wife does not have to work or get distressed in any way and she is handled uniquely as well as being treated as sacred. The laundress, maid and dye worker are expectant too, but they do not get any special treatment. They have to continue working while they are months into their pregnancies and having no resting time whatsoever. The director’s wife delivers in a house full of nurses, midwives, and doctors, the husband on her side, and the priest giving thanksgiving prayers. The childbirths of other women are different, as the laundress delivers in a room full of people with a midwife who is in a hurry. The maid gives birth to her child under the fence and throws the body in the river while the dye worker gets a stillbirth. The subject matter of the story relates to the culture of the people as well as how the economic status results in inequalities of the working woman and mother.

The author seeks to explain the burden of motherhood. For the director’s wife, motherhood is joyous as the baby grows up under the supervision of the doctor and nannies. She can rest, go out, do shopping and has people to look after the baby. For the working women, laundress, dyers, and maid (as well as the other women working in the factory), motherhood is a burden. They have nowhere to leave the child. They always have to worry about the child. The child of the director gets better while the babies of the factory workers get thinner every day and ill. When a child of the worker falls, the doctor blames them for not feeding them properly and blames them for the child’s death. The working women cannot explain the difficulties they face and also carry the fear that the doctor would not understand or believe them. Motherhood is not a happy or healthy experience for the working women, unlike the directors wife who has the complete opposite.

Children of working women have a high mortality rate. The reasoning is because the working families are poor, dirty, overcrowded and damp. The mother does not have time to take care of her child. The mothers also do not have time to breastfeed their children and end up using artificial feeding. The children are fed from cow’s milk, which is usually of low quality as the tradesmen tend to sell chalk mixed with water. The babies die from stomach diseases or being poisoned from the factory’s fumes while still in the womb. It is hard for the working class woman to fulfill her maternal obligations.

The economic changes in the current century have changed the view of work and maternity. In the past, women were involved in domestic crafts and housework. The work did not separate the women from their children, and this helped the poor and rich women to look after their children. The economic changes have resulted in industrialization leading to factories and workshops which did demand labor. Poverty in homes has forced the women to work in these places. Overworking in machines has made women develop complications and diseases that put the unborn baby in danger. The baby can also be poisoned by contact with harmful substances or inhalation of poisonous fumes. Some factories make women infertile such as mercury and lead industries. Tobacco and cigarette factories emit nicotine, which can poison children. Carrying heavy loads, running up and down, and standing long hours in the factories can also affect the children. Women should be barred from dangerous work which may affect their maternity life as working in these adverse conditions is risking the maternal health.

I believe there is gender inequality in workplaces. The working women should be barred from jobs that put them at risk or that affect maternity health. Each country should have laws governing a working mother. Factories and industries should also have policies that favor working women. Insecurity and poverty have forced women to work, thus a need for a law that will help women combine maternity and work. The harmful production methods should be replaced with safe ones or eradicated to keep pregnant women safe. They should not raise heavy weights or propel machines. The foot-propelled machines should be mechanized and the working places kept clean and free of extreme temperatures. However due to economic reasons, the improvements and adjustments are viewed to expensive, thus increasing the health risk of a working woman and the future generation.

There should be laws on maternity protection and insurance to protect the working mother. The mother should be given a break before delivering the child and after childbirth. She should also get breaks during the working day to feed the child. However, it is not sufficient to protect the mother during the period of childbirth. Society should have a culture that guarantees the well-being of the mother during pregnancy. The law can protect the woman by introducing maternity benefits at a state expense, as explained by the author.

The author states that workers in different countries are demanding laws that meet the financial and economic needs of the working woman. Ethnically cultures does exist and it takes full care of the mother and child in society, but it only comprises of the family and friends. However, there is still a need for insurance schemes in every country that covers all women regardless of the nature of the job. Delegates from elected among the working women should be ensured that the law is observed and that the woman receives everything she is entitled to. It is the responsibility of every working woman to support the working-class movement. It is fighting for the demands of the working woman and for a better future whereby maternity will be a joy to the women.

In conclusion, working woman and mother is an article by Alexandra Kollokanti, which provides insight to what the working woman and mother go through in workplaces. The emergence of the working class has transformed the pride and joy of maternity to a cross as women are put under working conditions that put the health of the mother and the well-being of the child at risk. There is a need for women to unit and demand for maternity protection, insurance to restore the joy of maternity and avoid risking the future of the children.