Mothers are supposed to be caring
Mothers are supposed to cook
Mothers are supposed to nurture
Mothers are supposed to clean
Mothers are supposed to pick up the kids
Mothers are supposed to protect
Mothers are supposed to comfort
Mothers are supposed to help kids with homework
Mothers are supposed to be proud
Mothers are supposed to put everything above their children
Mothers are supposed to put looking after their children above work
Mothers are supposed to be married
Mothers are supposed to be married to men that provide so they can achieve the above
Mothers are not supposed to leave their children for more than a few hours or a day
Mothers are supposed to work only if they have no choice other than to work
Mothers should only work the hours required to make ends meet
Mothers are not supposed to travel for work and leave their children in the care of others
Mothers are not supposed to pursue dreams if it means leaving their children in the care of others
Mothers are supposed to physically always be there for their children
Mothers are supposed to just be mothers
Mothers are supposed to sacrifice themselves for their children
Mothers are supposed to act like mothers
Mothers have responsibilities
Mothers who do not take on their responsibilities are selfish mothers
Mothers who don’t act like mothers are bad mothers
Mothers who don’t act like mothers are bad mothers
Mothers who do not act like mothers don’t love their children
Mothers who have a break down because they can’t cope with all this shit don’t love their children
The world looks at women who are mothers through the judgmental lens of ‘mother’
The world looks at women who are mothers not as women but as mothers
The world dictates what I can and can’t do based on me being a mother
I am not acting responsibly unless I’m acting like a mother
I birthed a child and the world chains me to the word ‘mother’
The world tells my child I am not a good mother
The world tells my child I am not a good mother
Other women tell my child I am not a good mother
This is what one deals with daily when they are a mother

First published on Medium