(From right) Dr Lee looking on as Cheah, Lee’s daughter Priscilla Ang and Low share a light moment after a Mothers Day meal at a cafe in Jalan Pahang, George Town. — LIM BENG TATT/The Star
HAVING a support system is vital for working mums, when it comes to raising children.
For George Town doctor Joyce Lee, 36, she relies on her mother Low Cheoh Ean, 59, and mother-in-law Cheah Lan Yook, 73, to help raise her two-year-old daughter.
Their presence has made life and work easier, Dr Lee shared.
“Being a medical doctor, I work long hours and need help raising my daughter.
“With both my mother and mother-in-law around, I don’t have to worry about my daughter’s needs.
“They even make sure I come home to a warm meal and this gives me space to spend quality time with my daughter,” she said.
Dr Lee, whose husband works in Singapore, said her mother-in-law made sure she got enough rest after work.
So, as a gesture of gratitude this Mothers Day, Dr Lee bought flowers for Cheah and Low.
“My husband also took them out for a high-tea meal and some cakes.
“We usually plan the day to involve more than one outing,” she said, sharing that the family would also celebrate with a dinner.
Cheah, a retired technician, feels like she has found a daughter in Dr Lee.
“My son is an only child and when he got married, I gained a daughter.
“My daughter-in-law’s job is demanding and I want to help her out.
“I was working for more than 30 years, so I understand the demands that come with a career.
“I just want her to be able to rest when she is home,” said the doting mother-in-law.
Cheah joked that since her son was overseas, she would see her daughter-in-law more often than her son.
“He comes home every week or two, but I see my daughter-in-law every day.
“She comes to my house daily to pick up my granddaughter.
“This means I get to spend time with her as well.
“It is like having my daughter with me,” she shared.
On Mothers Day, many people were seen carrying boxes of cakes and flower bouquets to celebrate their mothers.
The celebration honouring mothers, maternal bonds and the influence of mothers in society was founded by American activist Anna Jarvis on May 10, 1908.
Jarvis did so in memory of her mother who had expressed a desire to establish such a holiday before her death.
She had also wanted to set aside a day to honour all mothers because she believed “a mother is the person who has done more for you than anyone in the world”.
The occasion is now celebrated on different days all over the world, most commonly in March or May.
