Mothers today have challenging role than they ever had before.
In those days men are the sole breadwinner while women nurtures and takes care of the family. This arrangement have never change since the cavemen era.
However with the emerging of technology, rising living standards as well as increased commitments, women have no choice but to partake in sustaining the family economy. In some cases, some women even earns better than men.
More women are coming out now to supplement family income. And on top of that, they have to play their role as a mother/wife/daughter when they come back to their family.
I have seen friends who are single mothers struggling to make ends meet. I have my fair share of struggle while growing up with a single mother too. Even as a mother now, I have to do my part to raise my family.
Yes, my mother is a strong woman and she is a single mother. Despite her heartbreak and facing the uncertainty of her won future when her husband, the man that she loves all her life left her for another, she had to pick herself up and worked on two jobs to raise her 3 children, youngest is hardly a year old. She has never completed school, but she’s a street smart that she manage to do what it takes to sustain.
My mom when she was hospitalised last year due to wrong medication
As the eldest of 3 girls, I had to do my part from the early age of 11 to mind my siblings and to do well in school at the same time. It was never easy growing up during those years. But it was those hard years that exposed me to the world of Entrepreneurship. I have sold handmade cards, baked cupcakes, nasi lemak and even working in KFC just to earn.
Some friends made fun of me working at the outlet of course. They often make the chicken sound because I worked in KFC. When all of them talks about their school holidays trip, I never had any. When they showed what their parents got for them for their birthdays, from Swatch watch to Reebok shoes, I have none of those.
I remember having to borrow running shoes from a friend for sports days because I only have school shoes for sports. I even had to share a meal with my sister because we didn’t have enough for recess. I had purposely volunteered to work in school canteen whenever possible so I can have the unsold access meal for free. Even when I started my first part time job in a resort during college break, I had to borrow RM29.90 from a friend to buy my first formal shoes from BATA. I paid her back when I got my first pay of course. I am glad that I have a handful of close friends that understands my struggle in those days.
My mother is the first person that taught me the meaning of STRENGTH and HUMILITY.
In those early days, I used to wait for her every day when she comes back from work – late. And when I decided to work part time in KFC at age 14 to pay for my tuition fee, she hesitated.
I worked here before
She broke down and cried because she felt that she had failed me. I told her not to worry, that I can do this. And I did. I never look back since. Even when I told her that I will move to Kuala Lumpur to look for jobs and build a life here, she was worried that I will get into trouble. The struggle and hardship moulded me today.
My mother is so strong that even when her ex-husband (my mother never remarried) had passed away few years ago, her love for him is still obvious. She visited him at the funeral and even offered to cook for guests during his funeral. I can see her bitterness but never hate. She stayed on throughout the day and even console my stepmother. She even treated her children like her own.
I am amazed with her strength. Behind her smile and gentle tears that runs through her cheek whenever I teased her with sad songs from the yesteryears, you will be surprised to learn what a tough cookie she is.
My mother's favorite song - The End Of The World
It made me realised that women should never be contented with what we do or have. Always be prepared for anything unforeseen. If not for us, but our children. It is not about being greedy but about survival.
I am working hard for my daughter. My wish is that she will never have to go through my struggle and pain. She has seen me working at events that I organised, I brought her along so she knows what her mother is doing to earn and support her study. She knows that I often sleep late doing my work and sometimes I sleep next to her to assure her that no matter how busy I am, I will always be by her side.
She was asleep when I arrived late from outstation this morning
So if you know any women who are struggling right now, don’t be too quick to assume that her life is bed of roses. Understand her reasons on the need to survive and support if you can. Don’t pass judgement if you do not know her story.
May we love our mothers and pray for their well being every day. May we support women empowerment and treat them well. May we women, be the women that hold each other up and not tear each other down.
So who is Angiechin28?
Angie is a Mom with a mission (with a 10 year old daughter, 6 overweight cats and an overgrown baby man, ie: Hubs) is the Founder of HerPortal.co, the first online platform in Malaysia that connects & empower Women & Moms to affordable online learning (coming soon!), shareable contents, job opportunities, resources and go-to market opportunities to earn side income/sustain via tried & tested channels.
She discovered Steemit by accident after reading a friend’s posting on Facebook and decided to check it out because she’s too curious (not kaypoh ahhhh..) to find out exactly how it works. Since then, she never looks back.
Since she loves to post up her ramblings and contents (current fave is Facebook & Instagram), she might as well earn by doing so by posting up on Steemit’s platform and best of all, it’s the only online platform that she knows allows ANYONE to earn cryptocurrency by creating and posting up contents, by voting or commenting other people’s contents and so much more!
Bottom line, whatever you do on the platform, you will earn. How cool is that?
So, what are you waiting for? Sign up for Steemit already, it is FREE and you’ve got nothing to lose but an awesome opportunity.
Current tagline: You live only once, take the leap and discover where it brings you!
She can be reached at hello@herportal.co