What Has Motherhood Taught You?

Selamat Hari Ibu!

Sejak punya anak, Hari Ibu jadi lebih bermakna ya? Bukan cuma kita diingatkan oleh jasa para ibu-ibu kita (dalam menghadapi anaknya yang kadang suka ngeyel ini :D) tapi kita juga ikut bahagia dan bangga karena peran dan jasa kita sebagai seorang ibu dihargai melalui hari besar nasional ini. Mudah-mudahan nggak cuma 1 hari dalam setahun aja ya kita semua menghargai jasa-jasa seorang ibu :)

Anyway, dalam rangka Hari Ibu tahun ini, Mommies Daily bertanya kepada para ibu yang aktif di dunia online. Perempuan-perempuan ini bukan cuma jagoan dalam mengurus anak dan rumah tangga, tapi juga sukses berkarir, mengembangkan diri dan menghasilkan karya-karya yang dinikmati dan berguna bagi orang banyak.

We only ask them one question : "What has motherhood taught you?"

And here are their answers:

"Motherhood has taught me a new, different world I never know existed before. From breastfeeding (at all cost--even when you were hospitalized!) to putting aside my ego for the sake of my kid, my family. Also it teaches me other cool soft-skills, like comprehensive time management, multitasking, compassion, wisdom, and being responsible for everything involving my kid. Aren't we as a mother not just wanting what's best for the kids, but also want the kids to someday serve their best to the community?"

-Sitta Karina, penulis & kontributor CosmoGIRL! Ibu dari Harsya (1 thn 8 bulan)

"I understand my mom better! Being the same working mother with a daughter, I am doing many things that my mom was doing. Like calling her from wherever I am, at least once daily to ask her the same questions: "How are you today? Have you enjoyed the school today? And what are you doing now? Have you had food?". I understand about my mom's concerns and worries, as much as her hopes for her daughter, since I share the same concerns and hopes now. And on top of that, I am even doing things I used to hate when my mom was doing back in my younger years. I used to get tensed when she was telling me to have proper food. But now I am doing it myself to my daughter. I used to think she was nosy when she was telling me things. But like it or not, I am telling Naila the same things she told me almost 30 years back.

After becoming a mother myself, I realised that being a mother is a continuous learning. Every stage of parenting has its own problems, tricks, but also its fun. One thing that I am still learning to do is to always think that Naila is a free and independent individual. I may not force her to be someone I want her to be. I just have to provide the foundation, and let her develop herself based on it. This is not always easy, since as a parent sometimes you want your child to be like you or even better than you. Or you want her doing things or become someone you always wanted yourself to but you could not.

On the other hand, it's amazing to see how Naila always wants to be like me! I am like her role model, even though I don't spend that much time with her (I'll elaborate more on this later, about my being away from her for my works and studies). Since she was just able to talk a bit, like 1.5 years old or so, she used to say, "Neng mau seperti Bunda". Well, Neng, I just want you to be "better" than me, in your own way :)"

Dharwiyanti, Master of Information Technology student at Carnegie Mellon University Australia, Adelaide, blogger di jalankenangan.net dan Ibu dari Naila (5.5 thn)

"Motherhood to me: bikin saya jd merasa lebih lengkap. Sblmnya saya sering merasa 'kurang achievement' setiap review akhir tahun. Tapi sejak punya Kenken rasanya merasa lebih lengkap achievementnya. Motherhood jg bikin saya makin concern dengan pendidikan anak, ngga cuma anak saya tapi anak Indonesia secara keseluruhan.

Motherhood ngurangin jatah shopping? Hmmm ngga tuh, kan udah ada jatah masing-masing ;)"

Iim Fahima Director and Online Strategist at Virtual Consulting, Ibu dari Maleeka Kendra Adhitia (2 tahun)

"What has motherhood taught me? A lot, for my children are also my teachers, I discover new things about myself everyday because of them. They gave me new meaning to every single thing exists in my life. And one of the things I learned from them is that there is nothing, literally nothing, I wouldn't do for them."

Irina Dewi, penyiar Fun Fearless Female di 90.4 Cosmopolitan FM dan Ibu dari Kayla Adani Yahya (5,5 tahun) dan Gemayel Salman Yahya (2 tahun)

" It has taught me that life IS about learning.

I learn so much from my children. Learn about love, respect, tolerance and the purity of their hearts. I also learn that there is no such thing as quality time. Kids only know quantity time. So I have to explain to them that I work for selfactualisation, something they will also cherish when they grow up. But I will always be able to spend time taking them to school, attend school activities n surprise them by going home early every now n then. I also take mondays off to be with the kids 24hours."

Ligwina Hananto - Chief Executive Officer at Quantum Magna Financial / Content Source FINANCIAL CLINIC at Hard Rock FM Jakarta dan Ibu dari Azra 7 tahun dan Dena 5 tahun.

Psst.kalau melihat sejarah Hari Ibu di Indonesia, yang ditetapkan pada saat pelaksanaan Kongres Perempuan Indonesia pertama pada tanggal 22-25 Desember 1928 di Yogyakarta, hari ini seharusnya kita juga merayakan peran seluruh perempuan Indonesia, baik yang mempunyai anak atau tidak, bagi lingkungan dan bangsa kita. So if you meet any women who have given contribution to her family, society, environment and the country, please greet her also because today is their day too!

So what about you other mommies out there? What has motherhood taught you so far? :)