What if it was a mom’s world? Sure, we rule a lot of the world directly around us, but what if we were truly in charge of everything. We posed that question (amongst others) when we sat down to interview six women, mothers, neighbors, wives, partners, friends, and individuals with a lot to say. About life, child-rearing, breastfeeding, and what the future holds for moms everywhere.
| Q: |
What is the hardest part about being a mom? |
The hard thing about being a mom is that you never feel like you’re doing enough, or you never feel like you’re doing it right. And I think that women put a lot of pressure on ourselves for that, those are the hard things.
| Q: |
What is the easiest part about being a mom? |
The easy thing about being a mom is really the unconditional love that you get back from the kids. In those moments where your heart melts, those are the things that come easy.
| Q: |
Do you feel respected as a mother? |
I do feel very respected as a mother. I think that it’s something that is teachable in children and for me that was something that was very important. You have to give respect in order to get it and so for me and the way that I mother, I respect my children wholeheartedly. I respect them as people, not just as my children, but as people. My goal is that, as they get older, they continue to show respect to me and to other people in our community.
| Q: |
What about the world at large? |
As an African American mother, how does that feel respect wise? That's a loaded question. I think in terms of being a woman of color and a mother, there are certainly many factors that work against you. The way that I look at that, nothing is going to hold me back from being a great mom, or at least to the best of my ability.
There are things that I would change in society that would allow more flexibility for moms. There are certainly a lot of factors that I would change, but not just for women of color. Mothers have a hard time with respect in this culture. Completely undervalued in some aspects, because I don't think people necessarily see the workload that is involved with it.
| Q: |
What makes you hopeful for future moms? |
What makes me hopeful for the future is that I think people are starting to take a hard look at the responsibilities of mothers and understanding that it’s all of the unspoken roles.
I think that women are starting to really take a stand and they are coming to realize that being a mom doesn't have to engulf who they are, they can still be themselves, they can still be who they are inside and still be a mom.
| Q: |
How can moms show up for other moms? |
I would say helping each other in parenting. For example, my best friend had her children here and she said, ‘It's time to go put your shoes on.’ They were not listening to her, and so I backed her up. I said to her children, ‘I know you heard what your mom just said, and I expect you to listen.’ They picked up their shoes and they were out the door. I think small things like that make a huge difference. They say it really takes a village, I truly believe in that. So, support by showing up without being asked.
| Q: |
Who takes care of you? |
I have really been trying to put in time to take care of myself. Recently it has been difficult to take the time away from everyday living and carve out that time for yourself. As mothers we are nurturers for our children, we take care of our spouses, working moms are taking care of their jobs, all these things we are taking care of. I preach to my clients that taking an hour out of your day for yourself is not selfish, it’s actually very necessary.
What would a mom’s world look like to you? Share your story here.
