When the first influx of sales promotions reminding me of Mother’s Day hits my inbox, I begin to get annoyed.
How had I transformed from a young woman with a baby in her arms, eagerly anticipating a big fuss to be made over her to this cynical middle-aged woman questioning this annual celebration of motherhood?
I remember admiring the shiny gold watch that had been my first Mother’s Day gift with a silent prayer that I would accumulate not just trinkets but a treasure trove of memories in future years to cement my status as a good mother who was appreciated by her family!
Yet, as the years went by, I found that while the joy of motherhood was real, so was the labor.
A mother’s life was not really her own.
The one burden that both stay home moms and career-oriented moms shared was the weight of socially sanctioned expectations and guilt.
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