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Mothers Be HEARD
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features...

opinions

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The Steele Diaries by Felicity Chapman

October 08

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Decided Not To Tell by 'anonymous'

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"DINNER PARTIES!  Actually, generally PARTIES, and DANCING!" by Boo

November 08

how other women do motherhood

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Different Stages by Janice

tips, comments, academia

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Rethinking Care by Reiger, Temel, & Garvan

What's motherhood like for you?  A bed of roses, a nightmare... or something in-between? 

Today's mum is a new breed.   Having been groomed for independence, landing on planet 'motherhood' (either by wish or by accident) can be quite a surprise for the modern woman.  That surprise might simply be at how in love you are with this tiny being... or it could be a bit more complex than that.  You might love your baby but hate domesticity, you might feel content one minute and frustrated to burst the next.  You might wonder who is this new you?  Has motherhood enhanced you or engulfed you, or both?...

Society has changed so much and so little; careers for women are commonplace now though women still assume the primary care giving role once they become mothers.  Women are free to speak their mind yet the voice of the mother still seems strangely suppressed.  You might not have post natal depression, but you might have post natal distress because nothing prepared you for this.  There also aren't too many win-win options for mothers these days: if women are not blamed for staying at home they are blamed for going to work (!?!)

This website wants to acknowledge the heady mix of emotions and experiences that women navigate as they embark on motherhood today.  Nothing is black and white anymore (would we want it to be?) but there are stories that need to be told; voices that need to be heard.  No emotions are off-limits here.  Speak your mind and feel apart of a wider community of women who are just being true to themselves and others.

Enjoy.

Felicity Chapman

B.Soc.W. (Hons.), Assoc.Dip.C.Counselling, MAASW,

and member of The Association of Research on Mothering - Australia (ARM-A)

Feedback:

"Excellent idea, especially for ex-professional women who have sacrificed

a BC Life for the ideal of a nurturing mother!" 

Natalie, July 2006

"I think this website touches on some great issues; a lot of the stories I can relate to. I love that it gives mothers a voice. ....This website is a must for all mums, what ever age they are."

Darlene, March 2007

"..thanks for the opportunities to get things off your chest, it is great."

Colleen, April 2007

"Hi There, What a great site, congratulations! I would like to see something on your site relating to older mothers like me - ie. with teenage children (19 & 17) as although I'm now at the stage where they are older & need me less, and in a different way, there are still many 'issues' to deal with! To all those exhausted women out there, it does get easier in that you do get to spend more time doing your own thing & doing things with your partner."

Alicat, October 2007

Administrators note: I know this site does seem geared toward new mothers but, really, it is for all mothers and any entries from those with older children are more than welcome!  Also feel free to post on the discussion board - there are a few mums with older kids there.  Thanks Alicat for your feedback!

"This is fantastic, so informative and professional. The stories are so heart felt and I can relate to so many of the emotions expressed. It is incredible that with such common themes running through the stories of mums we can at times feel so alone and isolated. Thank you for the time and dedication you have given to this amazing resource for women."

Lynda, May 2008

"I am a mother of a 15 yr old son and a 13 yr old daughter, times are a changing again for me. Recently I took the family on a world trip covering eight countries and 8 and a half months and felt free of the constraints that being a stay at home mum brings. To be free and have my family with me was the greatest gift of all. But the comedown has been even more difficult; the reality of being back in my culture (England) and the constraints of once again feeling 'trapped' within the home are all back with a vengeance and gradually being worked through. Its great to come across sites like yours. It reminds me there are other 'mums' out there that feel the difficulties that comes within being a mum, with the choices that are made. In our culture being a mum does not seem to be valued, although all of us that are doing it know how difficult it is and the responsibilities that come with it and the value within it. Its tough. All learning is done whilst on the job, yet when I listen to my teens and hear their voices I know it was all worthwhile. That's love for you! "

Janice, August 2008

"As a new IVF parent, I was really interested in the ART Mums section. The literature was fascinating. The whole IVF journey is more encompassing than I expected and it is reassuring to know that I'm not alone. Thank you for the much needed encouragement."

Emma, October 2008