Waking up on Mother’s Day today, you may be greeted with a card and breakfast in bed, or equally a screaming baby at 6am. If there’s one thing we know about motherhood, it’s that it really is that unpredictable. As Kristen Bell once said, ‘every day when you're raising kids, you feel like you could cry or crack up and just scream “this is ridiculous!” because there's so much nonsense’.
Regardless of whether you woke up this morning to paradise or pandemonium, Mother’s Day is undoubtedly one for reflection. Looking into ourselves and understanding how we’ve grown or changed from this experience is one activity that could serve all mothers well. That’s why we’ve spoken to some of your favourite influencer mums to find out what they’ve learnt from motherhood so far. From cherishing those few hours sleep to learning how to multi-task, here’s the best and worst lesson these parents have learnt becoming a mum...
Mums On Their Best And Worst Lessons - Grazia (stacked)
1 of 7Hollie Burgess
The best lesson: 'Multi-tasking is key! I can literally eat a sandwich, send a work email and read my little one a book at the same time. Who knew that one pair of hands could do so much?The worst lesson: 'Especially since have my youngest who is 8 months old, I've learnt that sleep is the best thing in the world and I miss it! When a second baby comes along, there's no time to catch up on naps in the day like there were with the first one. Plus, it seems much harder at night time once you've had a couple of months of normal sleep.'
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2 of 7Hannah Mills
The best lesson: 'It's taught me how strong and incredible my body truly is - from birthing, to breastfeeding, to surviving on very little sleep... us Mum's sure are super women!'The worst lesson: 'Motherhood challenges you in ways you thought weren't possible. Sleep deprivation is TOUGH. Mentally and physically. There is no pause button to press, and the nights can feel long. Yet that morning smile makes everything worthwhile.'
3 of 7Candice Brathwaite
The best lesson: How I now have an audience of one - or two - to influence. In this digital age it's so easy to get swept up in accolades and achievements that you can't grasp. Me giving my children my best is hopefully gearing them up to be humans who add to the world with kindness and love. And that kind of success is ever lasting.The worst lesson: How much I underestimated just how all encompassing the role is. No matter how old my kids are, if I'm away for work I'm thinking about them. Even if one of them have a cough which lingers through the night I instinctively don't sleep deeply because I'm so committed to their well being.
4 of 7Nilly Dahlia
The best lesson: 'The days are long, but the years are short. When you've had only 3 hours sleep for the fifth night in a row, remember these days feel like forever but they whiz past and you'll look back at awe that you survived those sleepless nights. This is what got me through the first 18 months of motherhood.'The worst lesson: 'Motherhood can strip your identity before you became 'mummy'. You become a mother and that becomes your life. You forget who you were before kids. And, when you do, you're riddled with mum guilt because you're not thinking of your kids. But we need to look after ourselves first so we can be the best parents for our kids.'
5 of 7Lyndsay Gardner
The best lesson: Always follow your instinct, be kind to yourself and ready for any situation. The worst lesson: Worrying about EVERYTHING! All babies are different and honestly you've got this.
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6 of 7Charlotte Louise Taylor
The best lesson: 'Ironically, I was at a Mother's Day get-together at school. My eldest's class. And each child stood up and said why they loved their mum, and they all sang us a song. And in that moment, hearing all of their little voices, and my happy, smiley boy singing at me and smiling, I just felt like I'd done a good job. I felt so proud of him. And yes, I totally cried! Just those small moments - they mean so much. And I live for them. I really do.'The worst lesson: 'My biggest low as a parent, aside from the obvious ones of when your babies aren't well, is the constant worry that I might not be doing a good enough job. Am I doing this right? Am I making them happy? Raising them well? It makes me fret, because these little humans are everything to me, and I am terrified of letting them down.'
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7 of 7Brogan Georgiou
The best lesson: I've learnt that it's ok not to be ok and it's even better to talk about it. Even when you think you're the worst mother, your children will always think you're the best. When it comes to motherhood we're all just winging it! The worst lesson: Mumxiety is a thing that will never go, it's natural to fear the worst about the things you love the most