by Tina Santiago-Rodriguez (Philippines) | Oct 2, 2014 | 2014, Inspirational, Life Lesson, Tina Rodriguez-Santiago, World Motherhood
It’s been a while since I’ve written a post here on World Moms Blog, and I’m honored to be back with another open letter. This was inspired by a very recent event in my own life — when I felt that I had failed as a mother, particularly as a homeschooling mom to my eldest child. I hope this “letter” brings you encouragement somehow, dear fellow mama!
Dear Mom Who Feels Like A Failure,
First of all, let me give you a virtual hug. I know what it’s like to feel that you’ve failed your child/ren. Believe me, I’ve been there too many times to count. *Hug*
Just this week, I’ve wrestled with thoughts of how I’ve been failing my own offspring… of how I haven’t been a good mom to them… of how I haven’t been teaching them “well” and “enough” (I believe every mom is their child’s “teacher,” whether or not you homeschool.)… of how I’ve been too busy working at home, maybe even to the point of “neglecting” my children — the very reason why I chose to be a work-at-home mom (WAHM)… and so on and so forth.
I bet you’ve been dealing with similar doubts and “downer thoughts” too, lately, haven’t you?
Well, can I just invite you to join me in saying, “Stop!”? Let’s just stop. Stop thinking such thoughts. Stop doubting ourselves. Stop “downing” ourselves.
Because Lord knows we’re all just doing the best we can.
We are our children’s mothers for a reason. We love them, care for them, fight for them, teach them, pour our lives into them for a purpose.
No one else can mother your child like you do, and believe it or not, you can do it. You can raise a loving, obedient, respectful child — a child who will one day “change the world” — although it may not seem so right now. (And please don’t forget that being a “world-changer” can mean so many things, on so many different levels… which are all good, of course.)
So if you find yourself feeling like a failure today, allow me to encourage you, as another fellow homeschooling WAHM encouraged me recently: Remember the greater purpose behind what you’re doing.
In the midst of the seemingly endless diaper changes, sibling squabbles, “mommy wars,” cooking and cleaning duties, and everything else mommy-related, please, I beg you, know that you are enough. Know that everything you do will bear fruit one day.
Most of all, know that you are loved. Know that you are not alone on this rollercoaster ride that is motherhood. You’ve got me and the other World Moms on your side, cheering you on, sending you lots of virtual hugs and high-5’s, positive thoughts and prayers, even.
So, mother on, my friend. Let’s just keep calm and mother on!
Have you been feeling like a “mommy failure” lately? I hope this post lifts your spirits somehow! Or maybe you have some words of encouragement for our fellow moms out there who’ve been doubting themselves as moms — do share them in the comments!
This is an original post to World Moms Blog by contributor, Tina Santiago- Rodriguez of the Philippines.
Tina Santiago-Rodriguez is a wife and homeschool mom by vocation, a licensed
physical therapist by education and currently the managing editor of Mustard, a
Catholic children's magazine published by Shepherd's Voice
Publications in the Philippines, by profession. She has been writing
passionately since her primary school years in Brunei, and contributes
regularly to several Philippine and foreign-based online and print publications. She also does sideline editing and scriptwriting jobs, when she has the time. Find out more about Tina through her personal
blogs: Truly Rich Mom and Teacher Mama Tina.
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by World Moms Blog | Dec 15, 2012 | International, Religion, Saturday Sidebar, World Moms Blog
This week’s Saturday Sidebar Question comes from World Moms Blog writer Purnima. She asked our writers,
“What would you do today if the world ended tomorrow?”
Check out what some of our World Moms had to say…
Polish Mom Photographer skype’ing with her family in Poland.
Polish Mom Photographer of California, USA writes:
“I would bake a cheesecake for myself and an apple pie for my husband. Then I would call on skype my closest family in Poland. We would turn our cameras on and we would sit, and talk until the world would end.”
Jennifer Burden of New Jersey, USA writes:
“My husband, my kids and I would probably be working to the very last moment to prepare a time capsule to let those who come after us know what happened and what life was like on earth when the humans were here. And we’d probably all eat a lot of ice cream along the way!”
Kirsten Doyle of Ontario, Canada writes:
“I would Skype with my mom and some other loved ones. Then I would go for a good long run. After that I would soak in a hot bubble bath drinking wine and finishing whatever book I happened to be reading. The kids would be allowed to stay up late and we would all hang out on my bed playing.”
(more…)
World Moms Blog is an award winning website which writes from over 30 countries on the topics of motherhood, culture, human rights and social good. Over 70 international contributors share their stories from around the globe, bonded by the common thread of motherhood and wanting a better world for their children.
World Moms Blog was listed by Forbes Woman as one of the "Best 100 Websites for Women 2012 & 2013" and also called a "must read" by the NY Times Motherlode in 2013. Our Senior Editor in India, Purnima Ramakrishnan, was awarded the BlogHer International Activist Award in 2013.
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by World Moms Blog | Sep 29, 2012 | Saturday Sidebar, Wedding, World Moms Blog
This week’s Saturday Sidebar Question is a sequel of the Part – 1 of where the world moms explained how they met their husbands/partners.
“How and where did you meet your husband/partner?”
Check out what some of our World Moms had to say…
Elizabeth_Atalay
Elizabeth Atalay of Massachusetts, USA writes:
“One night my mother was admitted to the emergency room for a complication with her breast cancer that had metastasized, My husband was 3 months into his internship and the intern on call who admitted her, she fell in love right away and spent her entire week in the hospital working with the nurses to set me up with him. (Thankfully I did not know!) By the end of the week, when she was no longer under his care, he asked me out. 9 months later my mother walked me down the aisle when we were married. She lived to know I was pregnant with our first child, and to know her own two children were set with their own families.”
Jennifer Burden of New Jersey, USA writes: “I was living in Hoboken, NJ at the time and working in NYC. My friend Hannah asked if I would show her friend Dave and his friends around NYC because they were coming to town for a long weekend. I was no NYC expert, but took them to the holes in the wall kind of bars that I liked to meet my friends in! Steve and I met at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in midtown, where Hannah and I met up with the guys to take them out. We split up into 3 cabs. Steve was in mine. He jokingly asked me to marry him within minutes of meeting him in the middle of a conversation we were all having. We dated Trans-Atlantic for a year and 3/4’s (seeing each other on average every 6 weeks) and got engaged before ever living on the same continent. We’ll be married 11 years this month and have 2 little girls.” (more…)
World Moms Blog is an award winning website which writes from over 30 countries on the topics of motherhood, culture, human rights and social good. Over 70 international contributors share their stories from around the globe, bonded by the common thread of motherhood and wanting a better world for their children.
World Moms Blog was listed by Forbes Woman as one of the "Best 100 Websites for Women 2012 & 2013" and also called a "must read" by the NY Times Motherlode in 2013. Our Senior Editor in India, Purnima Ramakrishnan, was awarded the BlogHer International Activist Award in 2013.
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by World Moms Blog | Jul 28, 2012 | Kids, Motherhood, Saturday Sidebar, World Motherhood, Younger Children
This week’s Saturday Sidebar Question comes from World Moms Blog writer Maman Aya. She asked our writers,
“At what age did you let your child(ren) bathe/shower themselves?”
Check out what some of our World Moms had to say…
Tina Rodriguez of Philippines writes:
“My kids are still five and three, but we’re trying to get our five-year-old-going-on-six to learn to bathe himself in preparation for the future! :)” (more…)
World Moms Blog is an award winning website which writes from over 30 countries on the topics of motherhood, culture, human rights and social good. Over 70 international contributors share their stories from around the globe, bonded by the common thread of motherhood and wanting a better world for their children.
World Moms Blog was listed by Forbes Woman as one of the "Best 100 Websites for Women 2012 & 2013" and also called a "must read" by the NY Times Motherlode in 2013. Our Senior Editor in India, Purnima Ramakrishnan, was awarded the BlogHer International Activist Award in 2013.
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by Tina Santiago-Rodriguez (Philippines) | Jul 11, 2012 | Bilingual, Culture, Family, Homeschooling, Language, Motherhood, Multicultural, Philippines, Truly Rich Mom, World Motherhood
Our friends in the U.S. have just celebrated Independence Day and I’m sure they did so in a variety of ways. We here in the Philippines celebrate our Independence every 12th of June, and although our celebrations may not be as grand as our friends in the West, we all do our best to make sure we commemorate the freedom that was won for us oh-so-many years ago by our national heroes.
I have a confession to make though — I wasn’t always a patriotic Filipino. Growing up overseas in Brunei, away from my motherland, I could be classified as what many of us call nowadays a third-culture kid. I kept trying to fit in with my classmates and friends, who were a mixture of native Bruneians, some Malaysians, and a few other nationalities (including Filipinos). I remember even being a bit ashamed of my origins, as I used to associate being Filipino with being poor or not so well off. (Shame on me, I know!) (more…)
Tina Santiago-Rodriguez is a wife and homeschool mom by vocation, a licensed
physical therapist by education and currently the managing editor of Mustard, a
Catholic children's magazine published by Shepherd's Voice
Publications in the Philippines, by profession. She has been writing
passionately since her primary school years in Brunei, and contributes
regularly to several Philippine and foreign-based online and print publications. She also does sideline editing and scriptwriting jobs, when she has the time. Find out more about Tina through her personal
blogs: Truly Rich Mom and Teacher Mama Tina.
More Posts
