What it means to be a Mum... to us!

Being a mum is a privilege and an unknown adventure. I had expected to be childless for my whole life and had come to peace with that. Then at 40, along came Rose and I was smitten, excited and terrified. I knew nothing about newborns. I was not the girl, teen or woman that got clucky about babies or loved to smell babies' heads. (I still don't get that !). The pressure put on expectant mothers to be a certain way and do what is expected  is full on and it took all I had to keep trusting my body and myself and make my own choices. Which I did. Giving birth was the biggest transformation of all for me as I experienced myself doing something I couldn't have imagined. The moment Rose was born, was the moment I surrendered myself to serve in a way I'm unable to describe. I finally understood unconditional love and who I am has been forever changed. 

Motherhood is a lifelong marathon and I’m almost 12 years into it. I've found that every stage of my daughter’s life triggers my own incomplete issues of when I was 3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 and 11 years old. I’m not looking forward to the teen / high school years but then again, weirdly I am. Also, I’ve noticed myself standing back and allowing my daughter to be herself just as she is. Not putting expectations on her as my mother did to me. I've realised that my child is not me, she’s her own person and it's brilliant to stand beside her watching and encouraging her own awareness and self expression. I know that sounds a bit woo woo, but I truly believe that being a mother is my journey of self discovery and the teacher is my child. Motherhood has allowed me to find the love of my life (Rose), realise how powerful and determined I am by becoming a single mother when Rose was 3 years old and motherhood has also enabled me to be of service to everyone I meet through this business and everything I do. And yes there’s a lot of work, tears, dread, saying no, doubt, worry and lack of sleep… but like any project or adventure, there is always the hard stuff and daily grind. Regardless, I'm so happy I got to be a mum and that my daughter chose me.

Wow! That’s a tough question to answer. Ever since I was a little girl I always knew that I wanted to be a mum. Being young and naive you don’t realise what actually being a mum is. It’s hard work, it’s dirty work, it’s never being able to use the bathroom alone again!! 

But it’s the most important and rewarding part of my life. Being a mum means that I get to watch my children grow into themselves, I get to help and guide and support them in this thing we call life. There are a lot of road blocks along the way, and it’s not an easy journey but I wouldn't change it for the world!! 

I love being a mum and I’m so glad my 4 kids chose me to be theirs!

I never really pictured myself as a Mum when I was growing up. It just wasn’t something that came naturally to me. I never had younger cousins, or babies around so when I was handed my first baby it was like holding an old rotting piece of fruit or a strange alien. I didn’t quite know what to do with it!!

But then I had boys! And it was just something that happened. I knew I was meant to be a Mum of boys. Growing up with an older brother or being not the girly girl, maybe put me in good stead to do this Mothering of boys? Getting dirty, playing sports, being crazy and loud came naturally - just doing non-dainty stuff seemed right up my alley. 

As my boys have grown - now 13 and 10, I still feel this way. I mean they are gross and starting to smell, and sure there are days when I wish they would just sit and paint, or bake for me or come and get their nails done with me! And yes that is a very huge generalisation on my part. But they have the love for their Mum that will never ever waiver! I feel loved and supported by them and know in my heart that these two boys of mine will have my back, as I have theirs - forever and to the moon and back and back again.

PS. I don’t always ‘enjoy’ being a mum - but I’m glad I was lucky enough to become one.

This is a really hard question to answer. Because you know people expect you to say it’s the most amazing thing, it’s fulfilling and you love spending every minute with your kids. Well, I’m here to say that’s not true for all mums! Becoming a mum has been a wild roller coaster for emotions I could never have anticipated.

The grief of leaving your “old” life behind, facing the reality you have to choose your kids or your career (whether that is short term or for the long term), the wild changes to your body, and the emotional connection you make with these tiny little humans that would literally see you throwing yourself in front of a bus to protect them. It’s a privilege and an honour to be a mum, but it’s certainly a wild ride.