#MoreThanAMutha is all about celebrating the things that women are, as well as being amazing mothers. In a world where many women feel like they lose their identity when they become a mum, it is important to celebrate and shout that we might be mums, but we are not only that and we are still a force to be reckoned with.
What makes you more than a mother?
I am more than a mutha because, despite battling daily with anxiety, depression and sleep deprivation, I am determined to get my new business off the ground whilst mumming my two children – home educating one and dealing with the additional needs of the other!
Are people surprised when they realise you are more than a mum? Does that bother you?
I think people are surprised that I choose to take on all that I do! I often hear, “Oh, I couldn’t do what you do,” and so on, but.. why not?! Anyone can do anything they put their mind to. It doesn’t bother me – I like to surprise people!
What challenges do you face when you’re juggling motherhood and being more than a mum?
As I mentioned earlier, I have my own health issues to deal with, which can be challenging, as some days I just want to hide in bed and cry. Unfortunately, (or fortunately, if you prefer!) I can’t do that because my daughter, who is autistic, wouldn’t understand! She’d still need her milk and her breakfast and her clothes and her lunch and the white iPad and…. routine is very important in our house!
Since beginning to home educate our 10 year old son recently, I’m struggling to find the time to fit in all that I need to do (work) and want to do (blog and build my business, learn, etc). It’s great that working for myself from home is so flexible and has allowed me to home ed, but trying to strike a happy balance may take some time!
How long did it take you to remember you were more than a mother after you had your child(ren)?
A long time. Actually, probably until this year, when I started my Virtual Assistant business. Even before that, I blog about being a mum, so it’s pretty much all I thought about.
When I left my career in child care in the autumn of 2016, my default reply when asked “what do you do?” would be “oh, I’m just a stay at home mum”. I mean, what kind of answer is that?! No one is ‘just a mum’, are they? Now I value my worth a lot more and I know I have much more to offer, but much of it is a result of being a mum!
Who, or what, helps you to make time for yourself? What do you do to escape the stresses of motherhood?
In all honesty, time to myself is in short supply, and even more so now I home ed. I’m hoping once we find our rhythm with work and schooling, there might be a little time for me somewhere!
I’d like to go out with my camera more as I love photography, and I’d like to find time to exercise!
What advice would you offer a mum who might not be feeling like they are more than someones mum right now?
I would say that they need to stop and think about what a mother is. Being a mum is a pretty amazing thing, incorporating so many other roles into one. If you don’t feel appreciated as something more by others, then learn to appreciate yourself. Once you do that, others will begin to see your worth and that you really are more than a mum.
Any advice for someone who is going through the same things as you are right now in their quest to be #MoreThanAMutha?
Get up, get dressed and show up, every morning. You might not feel like it, you might feel totally overwhelmed, but just keep putting one foot in front of the other. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for help!
Who would you like to see featured next in the #MoreThanAMutha series?
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Are you #MoreThanAMutha? Get in touch to share your story.