The queen of our hearts deserves more than just flowers

MOTHERHOOD is a natural and traditional vocation honoured since the days of old, as the job goes beyond bearing and raising children.

As such, it is common to see that practices of paying respects to mothers are embedded across cultures; at the very least in the Asian context, even in a less matriarchal environment – to speak softly to her, to bow and kiss her hands, and to touch her feet for blessings, among others – mothers remain to be endeared.

However, reports of mothers who have toiled, sweated and bled to feed and raise their children are a stark reminder of an admirable gumption reserved for those only with the strongest of wills.

And the challenges are all the more difficult for single mothers, who have to rely on themselves to raise their families.

It is not something unheard of about a mother who had to take up at least two jobs to make ends meet, without even a nary of regret or complaint.

While there are cases where their children often have to work part-time to help the household, such mothers tend to shoulder the burden alone to free the young ones from concerns and worries.

This is among the many reasons that necessitate the call for more conducive policies for mothers at work that especially look into their economic welfare and familial interests.

For starters, efforts to reach out to single mothers, especially from the B40 group, to educate or inform them of various assistance must be intensified to help alleviate their burdens.

These mothers need to know that they are not alone, and that opportunities for a better life with their children are always just a click or a call away.

This is not to say that mothers from nuclear families face no struggles.

In Malaysia, the responsibility to care for the family and children often falls on the shoulders of women.

The government would also do well to look into increasing the number of paternity leave days for working fathers to help mothers cope with childcare, not just for recovery post-childbirth. Such is an essential measure to allow for a strong support system for mothers, as well as a boost of morale for the well-being of a family.

At the same time, while it is commendable for the government to increase tax exemption limits on childcare allowances from RM2,400 to RM3,000 in Budget 2024, efforts to establish more nurseries, daycare centres and breastfeeding rooms for convenience should also be made in parallel.

This will serve as an agenda item to incentivise mothers to return to work, including the proposed move to amend the Socso Act to give grants equivalent to 80% of the insured worker’s salary.

Being a mother undoubtedly means shouldering a heavy responsibility which entails sacrifice, hard work, and, above all, unconditional love.

The nation should do its best to provide an environment that is friendly and supportive to mothers, both policy-wise and community-based.

It is only right for us to do so, as some of us still need to hold on to your hands as we move forward in life.

For all your sacrifices and grace, the Sunday Star wishes all mothers a Happy Mothers Day.

You deserve more than just flowers.