Reasons to celebrate Mother’s Day

By JOHN MUTURI

The demands of motherhood can, sometimes, overshadow the joy and fulfilment that come with sharing in your little one’s world, but you can look on the bright side, writes JOHN MUTURI

By now you might be fed up with the miseries of motherhood. You’re wondering what Mother’s Day, which will be celebrated tomorrow, has for you. Lack of sleep, the demands of a crying baby, the endless feeding and changing can overshadow the joy of parenting. Take heart and count your blessings.

Here are ten reasons to look on the bright side.

1. Start by celebrating the end of being pregnant! At last that bulky bump you carried around is gone and you’ve got your body back again. Dust off your old jeans and slip on your favourite T-shirt — it’s great to race around in clothes you’ve only looked at for nine months.

2. Nothing is comparable to the relationship between you and your baby. Whether you’re completely overwhelmed by all the love you feel for him or her, or are taking it all in your stride, the depth of feeling you have for your little one will sustain your baby and help him or her grow into a happy, secure person. And you can be sure he or she is infatuated with you, however irritable you may feel at times. Enjoy your love and don’t be afraid to show it — a baby can never be ‘spoiled’ by having too many cuddles.

3. Being a mum opens doors to lots of new friendships. Sharing the trials and tribulations of parenthood with other mums is both a pleasure and a useful safety net for when things get too much. Join a mother and baby group or an exercise class.

4. Motherhood brings enormous confidence. Look at your achievement: Creating this wonderful human being and now you’re feeding her, clothing her and preparing her for life with your love and encouragement. Kudos!

5. Confidence begets responsibility. You now can join those demanding a better future and education for their children. Alongside the immense personal satisfaction, you‘re doing something positive for your child.

6. You can now enjoy showing him or her off to the rest of your family. Aunts, grannies or cousins who may have been quite distant before will love to admire your little one and, remember, children can draw families closer.

7. Your child’s world is magical. You can roll up your sleeves and enjoy playing with her without a hint of embarrassment. Whether it’s rough and tumble, dressing up and make-believe, messy painting or building towers together, you can be sure of a starring role in your little one’s play world.

8. Time is of the essence in motherhood, which in turn can help you become organised, especially if you’re a working mum. Making the best use of your precious time will put you in control and result in achieving bigger goals than you ever thought possible.

9. It’s wicked but true, a baby can provide a perfect excuse for getting away early from a tedious social occasion, or perhaps avoiding it altogether! Nobody’s suggesting you become anti-social, but you have a right to be flexible. If your little one starts to whine at an awkward moment, nobody’s going to complain if you leave.

10. Take pride in your husband and enjoy him! Together you’ve made something unique and precious. This sense of achievement will bring you even closer, so make sure you leave plenty of time to enjoy the company of each other as well as your little one’s.