Mothers Day

I decided how 'necessary' it was to do something a little special for mothers day, so here is a little interview I did with my mother and her mother (from Malaysia) just to see how things have changed or not, within the role as a mother. I hope you enjoy it! 

What was the most useful advice you were given?

GM: "Be silent, you're a woman" - apparently her father told her this as she was a chatterbox. 

M: Put your child in its own cot/bed.

What was the most useless piece of advice?

GM: Biting toenails will end in ingrown toenails - instead of using nail clippers for babies and children they used to just bite the nail, until nail scissors were available.

M: Don't breastfeed every time your baby wants food, just space it out to 4 hours between meals. Given by a doctor. Followed the advice and developed Mastitis. The pain blurs all other memories.

What was the biggest fear as a parent?

GM: None whatsoever

M: Walking in to find my child "not breathing"!

What was your biggest success or achievement?

GM: Watching them grow older and wiser

M: Omg, he/she can use the toilet!!!!

How did you manage babies/children and other everyday things like work?

GM: With joy, enthusiasm, excitement, multitasking - no problem!

M: I didn't! I was a walking zombie back then. 😜

Do you ever look back and think about how silly some of your worries were?

GM: Yes, because I get nervous and get cold sweats for no reason really.

M: Yep, absolutely.

What help was available to mothers at that time (work/midwives)?

GM: Lots of advice from everywhere thrown at us from old and young.

M: Just the phone number for QLD Breastfeeding Mothers and also running to my local doctor every time you cried. I was petrified that I had overlooked something or that maybe your intestines were twisted out of shape cause I refused to give you Gripe Water!

How did women find out information on different queries they might have? (today we have 'dr. google', online forums, mothers groups, free health checks at community centres.)

GM: Information through newspapers, magazines, tv, friends, teachers was always available.

M: I asked my circle of mothers in my local community and also wrote home to mum. All the older mothers at our church gave me lots of things to look out for too.

If there was something you could go back in time and do something differently with the knowledge you had now what would it be?

GM: I wouldn't have sold my house and a property, piece of land in Brown Garden.

M: I wish I had known about milestones and developmental stages, hormonal growth spurts which cause crankiness and I would have been a whole lot more creative! Gosh, I thought reading books was everything...how wrong I was!!!

How do you think parenting has changed throughout the years from your generation till now?

GM: In my time we sewed cotton nappies and hand washed everything we had glass milk bottles, there was no instant anything and we hardly had time to worry, I loved things then and now.

M: The parenting style has changed from strict disciplinarians to understanding and walking the journey together. I like the way parents are more encouraging today.

Well, there you have it, I know myself with the generational gap and changes with expectations, how things were simply "done" at the time and how different things are now, that advice given to me from my grandmother especially with worrying that it was unnecessary at times and to just enjoy everyday and resting when possible were crucial. 

I definitely encourage you to talk to the women in your life, older or younger and see what they think, you may be surprised with a different perspective and understanding of what really is important.

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY  

Mothers day, the special day were homemade crafts and breakfast in bed are mandatory. Hope it's a special one!