essay on what is motherhood

Essays About Motherhood: Top 6 Examples And Prompts

 If you are writing essays about motherhood, see below our list of essay examples and prompts for inspiration.

Motherhood refers to the activities and experiences of a female parent in raising a child. It can be enjoyed not only through the biological process of giving birth but also through adoption or parenting the biological children of a spouse. 

Mothers have a vital role in society as they are responsible for shaping and empowering individuals who can make or break the world. There is an abundance of stories on mothers’ joys, challenges, and sacrifices that are always riveting and heartwarming to any reader. 

Here is our round-up of examples and writing prompts that can inspire you when writing your essay about motherhood: 

1. Housewife Vs. Working Mom: Enough With the Arguing! by R.L. 

• 2. “Mom Brain” Isn’t A Joke by Julie Bogen

3. Why Daughters Fight With Their Mothers by Eleanor Barkhorn

4. coming out to my mom: a letter to mothers of gay sons” by brandon baker, 5. why moms make better managers by all things talent team, 6. lessons from my mother by james wood, 1. sacrifices of mothers, 2. write about your mom, 3. mothers coping in the pandemic, 4. mothers as bosses, 5. mental health therapy for mothers, 6. workplace discrimination against mothers, 7. more support for single moms, 8. how to deal with toxic mothers, 9. feminism and motherhood, 10. motherhood in different cultures, top 6 essay examples.

“The point is there’s no one ultimate decision that fits all mothers… Enough with the ridicules and the sneering. If you are happy with your choice then enjoy it! You don’t need to make other people feel insufficient or even guilty for taking a different path.”

The essay urges working and stay-at-home moms to stop looking down on one another for having different life choices and perspectives on child-rearing. All mothers do all they can to nurture their families the best way they know. So instead of judging and attacking fellow moms, they should make peace with each other and have a group hug. You might also like these essays about your mom .

2. “ Mom Brain” Isn’t A Joke by Julie Bogen

“…[W]hat we think of as mom brain ‘is a product of the unequal burden that we have placed on women to do both the physical caregiving for children and also the logistical and mental work of caring for a whole household.’”

The author debunks the misconception of “mom brain” – forgetfulness of moms – caused by physiological changes from motherhood. Instead, she points the finger at chronic stress due to society’s unreasonable expectations for mothers to do all the heavy lifting at home and work. She then encourages society to step up its support for mothers through policy reforms and simple acts such as splitting chores.

“These conflicting desires — the mother’s desire to protect versus the daughter’s desire for approval — set the stage for painful misunderstandings and arguments.”

The author interviews a linguist who analyzes the reasons behind tense mother-daughter relationships and identifies the three most significant sources of friction in these bonds. The linguist also provides tips to mothers and daughters to ease tension and prevent future wars with one another. If you’re expecting, you might be interested in our guide on the best pregnancy books .

“… [T]here’s something inherently more weighty about a mother’s approval… So, if anyone’s going to love you unconditionally, it’s her. And if she’s not on board with you now, you muse in the moment, what does that say about you?”

Baker tells his story of coming out to his mother through email. The article also directly speaks to moms who have difficulty understanding the coming out of their children. At the very least, he encouraged confused mothers not to make their LGBT children feel less of a person as their opinions mean the world to their sons or daughters.

“Moms are the best managers because parenthood is one of the most basic forms of leadership. Tons of patience, empathy, planning, organising, innovation, and negotiation gets added to your personality with a child in your life.”

The article lists the top traits that make mothers the best managers. These qualities include their multitasking expertise, empathetic approach, comprehensive “Plan B” planning, excellent negotiation skills, and innovativeness, making them ideally suited to handle the pressures and demands in top positions.

“All sons adore their complicated mothers, in one way or another. But how powerful to encounter, from someone else, the beautifully uncomplicated statement ‘I adored her.'”

In the essay, the author reminisces the rich life of his mother, who recently passed away. But soon, he discovers the broader circle of his mother’s influence which makes him adore his mother more. 

10 Prompts on Essays About Motherhood

Here are our most thought-provoking prompts on motherhood:

While mothers find their true love and joy in being a mom, many gave up some luxuries and even ambitions, at least temporarily, to focus on raising their children. For instance, some women forego building their careers during their children’s critical years of development. For this prompt, list down and describe the common sacrifices of mothers. You can also write about what your mother had to give up to spend more time with you and let you live a happier life. 

Describe your mom. Talk about her antics, her antics, and her ways. You may recount your most joyful memories with your mom. In addition, list the lessons you learned from her or talk about how she lived her life. Put in as much information about the memories while still keeping the focus on your mom. 

The pandemic has flooded mothers with an overwhelming amount of challenges. For one, they were forced to balance professional life and homeschooling as daycare centers and schools were shut down. So, first, interview working mothers and write about their quarantine challenges and how they overcame that difficult phase. What lessons were learned? What kind of support would they like to have moving forward? Then, write their responses to these questions. 

Several studies show how many mothers stand proud at the top of the corporate ladder. Interview mothers who are CEOs, founders, or have managerial positions. Learn how they gained their positions while dealing with responsibilities at home. Next, find out what women CEOs bring to the table that makes them the leaders their organizations need. Finally, ask what advice they would give to mothers aspiring to be bosses in their workplace.

With most moms being the primary caregivers to their children, they need stable mental health in performing their responsibilities. So, explain why some mothers feel sad and hopeless after birth. Then, explore the different treatment strategies to fight depression or anxiety during and after pregnancy. 

Denying women a job because of their motherhood is unconstitutional. Yet, this practice remains pervasive in several workplaces. Research on the standard employment challenges of mothers and existing laws that prohibit work discrimination against mothers, if any. Recommend some ways how the government and the corporate world can fight work biases against moms and help them prosper in their jobs. 

Single moms face a myriad of prejudices. Some critics use existing data and studies showing that children of single moms tend to be school dropouts or even criminals. Write about how government and the whole of society can step in to stop the judgment on mothers. First, paint a vivid picture of the struggles of single moms to provide context. Then, suggest reforms that could best aid them in raising their children. 

Write about the traits that make a mother toxic. Some examples could be their lack of boundaries, self-centeredness, and being overly critical. Then, write about the negative impact these traits have on daughters’ mental and emotional well-being. To conclude, you can discuss the treatment options to mend rifts between mother-daughter relationships. 

Feminism and motherhood have often been at loggerheads with one another—research what radical feminists say about motherhood. Dive deep into why they find motherhood contradicting the sacrosanct feminist principles. But on the other hand, you can also explore how feminism devalued the role of mothers in society. 

Explore different cultural standards on how mothers raise children. In addition, you can describe unique styles of motherhood across countries. It would also be interesting to tackle the different cultural practices in helping women have a baby or post-care traditions. Finally, you can also explore how hospitals and healthcare professionals tailor their services to accommodate these special cultural needs. 

For help picking your next essay topic, check out our 20 engaging essay topics about family .

If you’re still stuck, check out our general resource of essay writing topics .

I'm Not Ready For Motherhood, but Why Can't I Get It Off My Mind?

Ever since my 30th birthday this summer, I've noticed a recent uptick in motherhood-related content on my social media feeds. Some of it informative, some anxiety-inducing. From Reddit's r/regretful parents , to trad wives promoting "traditional" values, to pro-natalists urging everyone to have as many children as possible, it seems like I can't scroll more than five minutes without being bombarded by baby talk. It's almost as if the algorithm caught wind of my age and decided it's time for me to, at the very least, start thinking about babies.

I've never wanted kids. I spent the majority of my 20s happily untethered, experiencing life on my own terms. I assumed I'd always live my life this way — free from the responsibilities and stressors that I personally never felt ready to take on. Yet I feel something has shifted.

Is it the fact that I'm in a committed relationship? Or the societal pressure that looms larger and larger as a woman enters her 30s? Maybe I'm just being influenced by the algorithms. Whatever it is, Charli XCX's " I think about it all the time ," one of the more subdued and introspective tracks off her "Brat" album, has been on repeat as I consider the pros and cons of motherhood. In it, the 32-year-old singer contemplates her purpose and future with her fiancé, George Daniel: "Should I stop my birth control? / 'Cause my career feels so small / In the existential scheme of it all."

I get it, brat summer is over . But I can't shake the feelings "I think about it all the time" has stirred in me over the last few months. It captures my own emotional ambivalence – how you can be so sure of who you are and what you want, and yet you still find yourself questioning it.

There's no denying we are in the midst of a major cultural shift. The number of women opting out of motherhood is steadily rising, whether due to economic constraints (let's be real, raising a child is wildly expensive ), political and environmental factors, like the climate crisis , or an inability to find an emotionally present partner who is willing to share the physical and mental load of childrearing.

This phenomenon isn't limited to the United States: fertility rates have been on the decline in industrialized countries since the 1960s. Some European countries, like Hungary and Norway, have created incentives like extra vacation days, subsidized loans, and fully paid parental leave to encourage young women to have children, but none of these programs have actually changed their minds. It seems as though many women worldwide genuinely want to remain child-free .

I've always aligned myself with this camp, but then I scroll through TikTok and find out women only five years older than me are considered to be of "advanced maternal age." It's almost laughable to think of a 35-year-old as being of advanced age, especially when there are so many women who have had their first babies at 40 and older (Chloë Sevigny, Olivia Munn, and Eva Mendes all come to mind). But then I think of the real complications that come with having children later in life, or the possibility of not being able to conceive at all. What might I miss out on if I change my mind too late, when my biological clock has ticked for too long?

My boyfriend and I have friends who recently became parents within a month of each other. When they talk about their new lives, it's easy to understand why someone would want to have children: the sense of pride and accomplishment that comes with giving a child the tools they need to be successful adults, the endless potential for discovery and joy, the idea of creating a new life out of love for another person. I think about what it would be like to, in Charli's words, "know these things that I don't" when I see our friends with their children.

I don't think motherhood would give me "new purpose," as Charli hypothesizes, but I like to think it would bring a certain depth to the work I already do. I'll be honest, I catch myself fantasizing more times that I'd like to admit about a life upstate with a child playing with Montessori-friendly toys while dinner simmers away in the kitchen while I write.

Of course, there is no shortage of reminders of the realities of motherhood online — the risks that come with giving birth , the sleepless nights, the postpartum depression , the unequal division of housework and childcare, the loss of identity. There's the discussion of the motherhood penalty, or, as one TikTok creator explains, "the price women pay when they choose to have children and remain in the workforce," whether that's earning less or being passed up for promotions.

The rise of candid mom content speaks to a generation of women who were sold the domestic dream only to realize it wasn't what they wanted — and to a generation of women who have the ability to reevaluate their priorities and redefine what fulfillment looks like.

The question of motherhood still lingers in my mind in a way it didn't before, wedged into my consciousness by my age, societal expectations, by the internet, by my own evolving desires. Whether I want kids or not remains unclear, but what I do know is that for the first time in my life, I'm giving myself the space to truly consider motherhood and to think about what it means for me.

So yes, Charli, I also think about it all the time. But I'm going to continue taking my birth control for now.

Ashliene McMenamy is a freelance writer, essayist, and cultural commentator from New York City. She received her MFA in creative writing from The New School. She is interested in beauty, pop culture, and how social media trends intersect with everyday life. Her work has also appeared in Teen Vogue.

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Motherhood Essay

1. introduction.

Motherhood is the essence of being a woman. We are reminded of our potential for motherhood in countless ways every day - from living in a world that glorifies motherhood to dealing with our own internal feelings about fertility and our potential ability to be mothers. But the relationship between motherhood and a woman's identity is far from simple. Our models of motherhood have evolved and continue to change. They not only differ from culture to culture and among various ethnic groups, but they differ among each generation. Women today must cope with a much broader range of choices and demands than were the Lotus-mother stereotype of the 1950s. Women now want and can have more. The relationship between women and pregnancy is also a complex one. Just because women conceive, give birth, and breastfeed does not mean that the roles are automatically interwoven with society's vision of high maternal involvement and protection. This vision is embedded in the nurturant maternal myth made popular by psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud and needs to be demystified if women are to escape the guilt and label of bad mother when they step out of their expected societal roles. The "cite des decorations necessaires" to be a good mother must be expanded. The boundaries of working mothers vs. stay-at-home moms, not to mention glass ceilings vs. lowering the glass and playing with blocks, must disappear.

1.1. Background and Significance

Theorizing is not always an exercise in abstraction that ignores the particular or the personal. Feminists, participants and observers of life, see theory as being necessarily grounded in the concrete, the individual, the tangible, and the everyday. Women's views are potentially salient theoretical insights into how social life is organized and negotiated, the meanings of particular relationships, how power and authority operate and are legitimized, the sources of value, and normative support for activities and institutions. It is both difficult and inadvisable to separate women's perspectives from women as individuals. Women's subjective world cannot be separated from the nature and quality of the personal relationships in which they are embedded. Both the selves of others and the context in which the women in this book live out their mothering are critical dimensions of maternal selves. For some years, there have been a growing number of psychological studies of family relationships that focus not only on mothers but also involve the children and fathers with whom those mothers interact. Frequently ignored is the broader network of urban and rural family of origin, cousins, aunts, and peers. The term social support is a useful entry category for this wider set of individuals. Its primary weakness is that it seldom carries through in relating social supports for specific activities. The term "mothering" seeks to do so.

2. Historical Perspectives on Motherhood

For centuries, reproduction has been central to the role of women in society. Through bearing and rearing children, women have contributed to the provision of family members and kin group members. Women in the Western world and the world of academic anthropology have counterparts in other cultures who have implemented similar roles and responsibilities as colonial administrators in their work with non-Western women. Anthropological scholars believed that households were organized according to the male roles in producing food and shelter as part of the economic basis of society and associated ideas of male-headed domestic organizations. This model of the household emphasized female concern with children and suggested that women devoted more time and energy to child rearing than men did. Societies that based their economic values largely on herding, foraging, and horticulture were venture comparisons. By identifying statistically sex discriminatory ideologies, nurturant mother roles, and maternal infant bonding within occupational males. Since women's economic roles encompass reproduction, women are largely responsible for the care of infants and children as a major component of the family system. These views of family and the family system are cultural constructs, patterned upon the work patterns of sexes. Historical research suggests these patterns were constructed in the 18th and 19th centuries in America and were specific to demographic circumstances in England. These ideas persist today, despite the fact that the late 20th century dramatic alteration in the role of women in the workforce and the sweeping legal and social changes that have promoted increased power of women.

2.1. Ancient Societies

Some of the earliest mythologies also display mothers in a complex dichotomy of love and hatred. Queen Eurythemis was refused burial from her son, Oedipus, allowing him to be learned, wise, and unlucky. Demeter, mother to Persephone, creates winter in mourning over her loss and searches frantically for her child. Women of early civilizations are seen as the creators of life and as the nurturers of life, providing emotional and tangible benefits to their offspring without expecting much in return. Analysis of these myths, however, provides support for the complexities of the mother-daughter relationships spanning thousands of years. In her book, Goddesses, Whores, Wives, and Slaves: Women in Classical Antiquity, Sarah B. Pomeroy describes women, mothers specifically, without much power in early societies. She argues and provides ample evidence to suggest that women do not have a voice, are not recognized in prevalent works to antiquity, or are stereotyped as being "weak and emotional." Based on these stereotypes, the mother-daughter dyad is explored; daughters are caught between childhood and womanhood and flee from the mothers who try to prepare them for the roles of slave and spouse. Women are portrayed to "create the environment for childhood, but they do not encourage a quest for excellence in children" (p. 262). Races of early times depict women as mutilators, mutilated, or passive, complacent nurturers rather than empowering women with the responsibility to shape and prepare young daughters for adulthood. Women devoted their lives to housekeeping duties, taking care of a husband whether his home was shattered, and nurturing him with the desire to restore harmony. Thus, one can argue that women did not have the time to be enablers of upward mobility of young daughters wandering around the house without structured chores or rules.

3. Challenges Faced by Mothers in Modern Society

Although parenting is a social role that all societies need and value, ours simultaneously romanticizes motherhood, legislates (or advocates exclusion from) public roles for mothers (especially of young children) and offers very little practical, social or economic support for the fulfillment of the enacted expectations. Resource limitations compound these difficulties; and are experienced with particular intensity during the first few years of parenthood. Although the saying that "it takes a village to raise a child" has become a slogan for those advocating greater community support for parenthood, very few of us live in villages or neighborhoods factory receptive to birth or the changing needs of the families who live in them. There is a vast difference between saying "ask for help if you need it" and providing the framework within which empowerment, control, and fulfillment can genuinely flourish. Finally, the parenting years of life come up against popular youth cult that fosters unrealistic expectations of personal performance. Parenthood leads us to so many areas outside our expertise that no individual can hope to measure as a satisfactory parent by any absolute scale. Yet, children seldom suffer as much from being brought up by less than perfect parents than they do from becoming the object of parents' frustrated attempts to live up to the impossible standards they impose upon themselves. Last but not least, to complete this complex picture of current pressures on motherhood, conceived in a society that privileges individual autonomy and personal choice, motherhood generally comes to us unsought. In these circumstances it is hardly surprising that when the moment arrives, motherhood is experienced as a potential threat to the self in many and different ways and every woman has to work her way through the "mother identity."

3.1. Work-Life Balance

An 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. class can act as a mother's salvation if she has arranged an obliging schedule, but create a major problem if doing so is absolutely impossible. Universities must realize that mothers are students whose chances of success in school are automatically and significantly compounded by marriage and/or motherhood. They themselves can greatly contribute towards the resolution of economic problems by recognizing that the campus has literally thousands of scholars in what each university is actually committed by philosophy... not program... to help resolve - the population problem. Low-income and scholarship students are largely those who have benefited from scholarships and the policies redirecting financial aid monies to these low-income students. The variety of programs open to student parents attending colleges, which cater mainly to those belonging to the lower socio-economic groups, far exceed the programs available to students in the so-called private institutions which are opening their doors to practicing parents. Yet, while recognizing they are yet another type of minority group that needs special attention and understanding, there seem to be no such programs available. They must turn to the Employment Agency, Employment Assistance Program (EAP), the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), the Frederick Douglass Scholarship, Goodwill Industries, the Parent Scholarship, the Providence College Nurse Aides Training Program, Mercy School of Nursing (Syracuse), and the sixty-five, one hundred nine pilot workshops encouraged through the High School Completion Program (Title V-B of the Economic Opportunity Act). Only the Mother Study Fund offers grants as well as low-interest loans. While Parent-Student loans are available in selected colleges, federal funds are available through the Higher Education Act of 1965, which is good for distributing federal moneys (as Title IV so conspicuously proves) to the institution rather than to the aspiring student. The problems, which non-traditional students, be they single parents or someone classified as such, are very real even in those higher institutions that do recognize the student moms or dads. What, in other words, does a mother do with o'er-excitement when she can partake only of the audit register? What, in all seriousness, is she supposed to do with the rugrat who resents the change in routine or the new friends who resent the change in study habits?

4. The Impact of Motherhood on Women's Identity

The impact of motherhood on women's identity is an ongoing process of negotiation. Despite considerable evidence of the importance of children for women's identity, we still do not have satisfactory answers to the important questions as to how women perceive and experience motherhood, or how gender and variability shape the ways in which women feel and behave. Furthermore, there is great variation among women in the timing, meaning, roles, and responsibilities of motherhood. Additionally, children's development and parental opportunities and interests change as economic situations and expectations and values change. One of the more that make up the social conflict between women's roles and women's bodies is the ubiquity of the image of a helpless mother. How dare women try to be equal to men when every fiber of her body indicates that her place is at the cradle? There is the feeling that when woman speaks out in political and social issues, she is deserting her proper place, the home, where she should be nurturing the baby and submitting to both father and infant. According to this perspective, women would give up careers and political activity for the baby's sake if they were healthy, well-integrated human beings. Because they cannot, they experience guilt and anxiety.

4.1. Cultural and Societal Expectations

One category in which participants' responses to the questions pertaining to personal narrative and cultural and societal expectations overlap is the issue of how cultural or societal expectations about motherhood ultimately influenced or informed each participant's answers. This was not the primary purpose of these particular questions, but the overlap is significant enough to consider the two together as one, at least for the purposes of this chapter. When we asked participants about their most significant strengths and accomplishments as a parent, the answers we received included the ability to foster independence, spending quality time with their children, nurturing a sense of empathy in their children, and fostering a deep connection between themselves and their children. When we asked people for their biggest internal conflict, the responses we received included personal embarrassment, feelings of inadequacy, and fear of not meeting personal expectations. Does this mean that having children is necessarily going to deepen emotional conflict? What is motherhood going to bring up for women? Are these things personal and private for each woman or are they also social? Can we even distinguish between the public and private spheres in realms of individuals and families? The answer for how much of an effect marriage and motherhood will have on each woman's life was very complex. For many of these women, the passion and strain that motherhood brings becomes a platform that allows women to articulate their ambivalence about their own identity or that of their children. This is based on the fear that expressing irritation about one's children could be interpreted as a lack of interest in them. Yet, this inner struggle only serves to reinforce the depth of their relationship with both mothering and motherhood.

5. Conclusion

In response to the often artificial splits between motherhood in the private and public spheres, between good mothering and bad mothering, and between mothers and those who support them in the daily care and raising of children, I have argued that society would do well to reject a simplistic understanding of what mothering is and who mothers are. Motherhood is not a homogeneous concept and the idea of mother should be expanded beyond forming judgments of who incorporate their commitment to mothering through caregiving accepted by the traditional norms of society to also include those who challenge traditional norms by working, by being lesbian, by resisting oppression or simply by delving into the private sphere also help transform the public world, thereby shaping and directing their young. Understanding women as heterogeneous persons capable of making valid choices for themselves is, I believe, the first step toward providing the support and recognizing the variety of experiences that versions of motherhood require. At best, the contemporary women I interviewed struggled with and through the perceived contradictions in their own understandings of good and bad mothering. Their emphasis on negotiating the inherent tensions in raising children also suggests we adopt a much more fluid understanding of not only the characteristics and duties of motherhood, but also of the relationships among people participating in the care of children. The best of the literature on mothering suggests that these tensions are not something to be resolved, but rather they provide a dynamic, continuing dialogue among all the participants.

5.1. Key Findings and Implications for Future Research

This study represents a first step towards generating new insights into the 'most important role a woman can have'. The exploration of the complexities of motherhood yielded seven key themes, three roles of motherhood, and six expectations. Key findings indicate an unequal or disproportionate amount of women continue to take the lead role of primary carer. An element of rush was prominent for these women noting and creating time for themselves and needing to take a chill pill. A fear to fail their children was also apparent. Understanding the complexities women of the twenty-first century experience regarding motherhood is particularly important and timely given contemporary mores are historically very new. Rapid societal changes have not become embedded in our institutional make up; as a result, the reality of the discourse of motherhood appears to have become a shaping concept in society enforcing a compliance mechanism. Maternal influences still play a significant part to whom children become. Yet if women today focus exclusive attention to the discourses of motherhood, they are ironically described as failing to develop themselves or the need to measure up to their male peers in terms of gendered work. The topic of motherhood is diverse, difficult, and fascinating. This article challenged the assumption that being a good mother is a myth by exploring the complexities and drawing on the perceptions of a female-dominated participant selection. The challenges and constraints of motherhood identified have potential implications for championing gender equity on the agenda of both corporate and political life. Given the growing profiles of women graduates, there will be more women available to provide female role models for girls. More flexible hours and 'parent friendly' policies would encourage and facilitate women to opt for executive and professional work in various sectors. These positive actions counterbalance the negative impacts identified by women and organizations in terms of the loss of skills, the perpetuation of gender inequalities and racism, the generation of negative stereotypes and attitudes from male and female colleagues, and an incompatibility between childbearing/rearing and participation in corporate and political life. Both acknowledged that if organizations have people at the top who are beset with the voussoirs created by the conflicts and tensions of the discourse of motherhood, then it is no surprise that top institutions display the same conflicts and tensions, too. Moreover, these negative attitudes directly affect the attitudes and biases of a future generation of senior managers and directors, currently held by the small pool of people who influence and administer changes.

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Essay on Mother for Students and Children

500 words essay on mother for school students.

First of all, Mother is a word which fills everyone with emotions . A Mother is certainly the most important human being in everyone’s life. Mother’s Love for her child certainly cannot be compared with anything. Her level of forgiveness is unmatchable. A Mother is capable of forgiving any wrongdoing. Mother is the most important woman in everyone’s life. A mother sacrifices her happiness for her child. No one else can care for their kids the way a Mother does.  A Mother is great and does not need anyone like me explaining that. This essay on Mother is a small attempt to discover the greatness of a mother.

Importance of a Mother

First of all, Mothers are highly responsible women. They certainly play a very important role in the upbringing of a chil d. Most noteworthy, Mothers play a huge role in determining a child’s attitude. Whether a child will be good or evil in the future depends upon the Mother. The moral values taught by Mother probably play a huge role. Individuals often remember their Mother’s values until old age. Hence, the Mother is responsible for the well-being of society. The future of society in a large way is the result of a Mother’s teaching.

Mothers share a deep connection with their children. This connection certainly cannot be matched by anyone else. Even fathers fail to establish that type of understanding. The origins of this connection happen from infancy. Most noteworthy, a Mother can understand her infant child without communication. This certainly develops a strong emotional connection between a mother and child. This bond seems to carry into adult life. A Mother, it seems like, can always tell when we are feeling hungry.

Mothers also are the emotional backbone of the family. They support everyone’s feeling in a family. Family members can certainly tell their emotions to Mothers without worry. An individual can share almost any secret with Mother. This is because Mothers have a huge level of trust with their family. Furthermore, Mothers have an extremely forgiving nature. Hence, even wrongdoing can be shared with a Mother.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

How to Support Mothers?

First of all, Mothers are precious gifts from God. Without mothers, life would certainly be dark and gloomy. Therefore, it is our duty to help and support our Mothers. One important way to do that is to help in chores. Individuals must try to do more household work. This would certainly reduce the burden of Mothers. Hence, this will also improve her health. Another way of supporting Mothers is to speak words of affirmation.

Most noteworthy, a Mother’s heart is made of gold. A few words of acknowledgment would fill her heart with happiness. There are probably several ways of doing so. One way is to praise the meal cooked by her. Above all, such acknowledgment should come on a regular basis.

A Mother is a gem in everyone’s life. She is the ultimate source of happiness for a child. Her contributions are certainly too great to imagine. Above all, her love is pure and innocent. To find a Mother who does not love is probably an impossible task.

Read some awesome Essay Writing Tips here.

FAQs  – Essay on Mother

Q.1 At what age a child forms an emotional connection with Mother?

A.1 A child forms an emotional connection with his mother from the age of infancy.

Q.2 Mention one way in which children can help their Mothers.

A.2 Children can help their Mothers by speaking words of acknowledgment. This is one way of certainly helping Mothers.

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116 Motherhood Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Motherhood is a topic that has been explored in literature, film, and art for centuries. It is a complex and multifaceted experience that can evoke a wide range of emotions and challenges. Whether you are a mother yourself, or simply interested in exploring the concept of motherhood, there are countless essay topics to choose from. In this article, we will provide you with 116 motherhood essay topic ideas and examples to inspire your writing.

• The Evolution of Motherhood in the 21st Century
• The Challenges of Balancing Motherhood and a Career
• The Impact of Social Media on Modern Motherhood
• The Role of Fathers in Modern Motherhood
• The Influence of Motherhood on Mental Health
• The Intersection of Motherhood and Feminism
• The Representation of Motherhood in Popular Culture
• The Stigma of Single Motherhood
• The Importance of Self-Care for Mothers
• The Myth of the Perfect Mother
• The Impact of Motherhood on Romantic Relationships
• The Experience of Motherhood for Women of Color
• The Motherhood Penalty in the Workplace
• The Emotional Labor of Motherhood
• The Pressure to Breastfeed: A Critical Analysis
• The Impact of Motherhood on Body Image
• The Transition to Motherhood: A Personal Reflection
• The Influence of Childhood Experiences on Motherhood
• The Mother-Child Bond: Nature vs. Nurture
• The Impact of Motherhood on Identity
• The Experience of Motherhood for LGBTQ+ Parents
• The Role of Grandmothers in Motherhood
• The Impact of Technology on Modern Motherhood
• The Influence of Religion on Motherhood
• The Challenges of Mothering a Child with Special Needs
• The Motherhood Wage Gap: A Closer Look
• The Concept of "Mom Guilt" and How to Overcome It
• The Impact of Motherhood on Friendship Dynamics
• The Experience of Motherhood for Adoptive Parents
• The Representation of Motherhood in Literature
• The Role of Social Support in Motherhood
• The Impact of Trauma on Motherhood
• The Motherhood Penalty in Divorce Cases
• The Influence of Parenting Styles on Motherhood
• The Experience of Motherhood for Teenage Mothers
• The Impact of Motherhood on Physical Health
• The Motherhood Mandate: A Critical Analysis
• The Challenges of Mothering a Child with Behavioral Issues
• The Role of Maternal Instinct in Motherhood
• The Influence of Motherhood on Career Choices
• The Experience of Motherhood for Immigrant Women
• The Impact of Motherhood on Social Relationships
• The Representation of Motherhood in Art
• The Role of Sibling Relationships in Motherhood
• The Influence of Socioeconomic Status on Motherhood
• The Concept of "Mommy Wars" and How to Combat Them
• The Impact of Motherhood on Mental Well-being
• The Myth of the "Good Mother"
• The Role of Attachment Theory in Motherhood
• The Experience of Motherhood for Surrogate Mothers
• The Influence of Attachment Parenting on Motherhood
• The Impact of Motherhood on Educational Attainment
• The Challenges of Mothering a Child with Chronic Illness
• The Motherhood Penalty in Hiring Practices
• The Concept of "Helicopter Parenting" and its Impact on Motherhood
• The Influence of Cultural Norms on Motherhood
• The Experience of Motherhood for Military Families
• The Impact of Motherhood on Marriage
• The Representation of Motherhood in Film
• The Role of Extended Family in Motherhood
• The Influence of Parental Leave Policies on Motherhood
• The Challenges of Mothering a Child with Developmental Disabilities
• The Role of Resilience in Motherhood
• The Impact of Motherhood on Self-Esteem
• The Concept of "Mommy Burnout" and How to Prevent It
• The Influence of Parenting Books on Motherhood
• The Experience of Motherhood for Stay-at-Home Moms
• The Impact of Motherhood on Social Isolation
• The Role of Guilt and Shame in Motherhood
• The Influence of Motherhood on Time Management
• The Challenges of Mothering a Child with Mental Illness
• The Role of Empathy in Motherhood
• The Concept of "Mommy Martyrdom" and How to Avoid It
• The Influence of Parenting Forums on Motherhood
• The Experience of Motherhood for Working Moms
• The Impact of Motherhood on Sleep Patterns
• The Role of Boundaries in Motherhood
• The Influence of Social Comparison on Motherhood
• The Challenges of Mothering a Child with Addiction
• The Role of Mindfulness in Motherhood
• The Impact of Motherhood on Relationship Satisfaction
• The Concept of "Mommy Brain" and its Impact on Motherhood
• The Influence of Parenting Styles on Mother-Child Attachment
• The Experience of Motherhood for Blended Families
• The Impact of Motherhood on Physical Fitness
• The Role of Gratitude in Motherhood
• The Influence of Social Media on Parenting Trends
• The Challenges of Mothering a Child with Autism
• The Role of Forgiveness in Motherhood
• The Impact of Motherhood on Time Management
• The Concept of "Mommy Shaming" and How to Combat It
• The Influence of Parenting Blogs on Motherhood
• The Experience of Motherhood for Foster Parents
• The Impact of Motherhood on Mental Health
• The Role of Creativity in Motherhood
• The Influence of Maternal Instinct on Mothering Decisions
• The Challenges of Mothering a Child with Physical Disabilities
• The Role of Self-Compassion in Motherhood
• The Influence of Parenting Workshops on Mothering Practices
• The Experience of Motherhood for Birth Mothers

These are just a few examples of the countless essay topics you could explore when writing about motherhood. Whether you are interested in examining the challenges and joys of motherhood, exploring the impact of societal norms and expectations, or delving into the intersection of motherhood and other aspects of life, there is no shortage of material to inspire your writing. So go ahead, pick a topic that resonates with you, and start exploring the rich and complex world of motherhood through your writing.

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Mother — Narrative Essay Becoming A Mother

Narrative Essay Becoming a Mother

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Published: Mar 14, 2024

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Essay on Role of Mother in Our Life

Students are often asked to write an essay on Role of Mother in Our Life in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Role of Mother in Our Life

The importance of mothers.

A mother plays a crucial role in our lives. She is our first teacher and friend. From teaching us how to walk, talk and behave, to instilling values, a mother’s contribution is immense.

Unconditional Love

A mother’s love is unconditional. She always puts her children first, sacrificing her own needs and desires. This love shapes our character, making us compassionate and kind.

Our Guide and Mentor

Mothers guide us through life’s challenges, offering wisdom and advice. They provide emotional support, boosting our confidence and self-esteem.

In conclusion, a mother’s role is irreplaceable. She shapes us into the individuals we become.

250 Words Essay on Role of Mother in Our Life

The quintessence of motherhood.

The role of a mother in our lives is profound, multifaceted, and irreplaceable. She is the primary architect of our world, shaping our perceptions, values, and behaviors. From nurturing us in the womb to fostering our growth in society, a mother’s influence is omnipresent and enduring.

Mothers as Nurturers

Mothers are our first teachers and caregivers. They imbue us with fundamental qualities such as compassion, empathy, and resilience. Their love and care form the bedrock of our emotional development, fostering a sense of security and self-worth.

Mothers as Role Models

Mothers also serve as role models, exemplifying virtues like patience, perseverance, and selflessness. Observing their actions, we learn the importance of integrity, respect, and responsibility. Their strength in adversity instills in us courage and determination.

Mothers as Guides

Mothers guide us through life’s complexities. They help us navigate the maze of social norms, cultural traditions, and moral dilemmas. Their wisdom and experience provide us with invaluable insights, enabling us to make informed decisions.

Mothers as Catalysts for Growth

Finally, mothers are catalysts for our growth. They encourage our dreams, foster our talents, and challenge our limits. Their unwavering faith in our potential propels us to strive for excellence and realize our aspirations.

In conclusion, the role of a mother transcends the boundaries of mere caregiving. It encompasses nurturing, modeling, guiding, and stimulating growth, making her an indispensable figure in shaping our lives. The essence of motherhood is indeed a blend of love, sacrifice, and wisdom that leaves an indelible imprint on our being.

500 Words Essay on Role of Mother in Our Life

A mother’s role in our lives is immeasurable, transcending the realms of physical and emotional boundaries. She is the embodiment of love, care, and sacrifice, and her influence shapes us from our first breath to our last moments. This essay explores the multifaceted role of a mother in our lives.

The Bearer of Life

The role of a mother begins even before a child is born. She is the vessel that carries a new life, providing a nurturing environment for the fetus to grow and develop. Beyond the physical ordeal of pregnancy and childbirth, a mother also bears the emotional weight of anticipation and worry for her unborn child’s future.

The First Teacher

A mother is often the first teacher in a child’s life. She introduces her child to the world, guiding them through their first steps, first words, and first experiences. The lessons imparted by a mother are not confined to academic knowledge. Instead, they encompass moral values, social etiquette, and life skills, forming the foundation of the child’s character and worldview.

The Emotional Anchor

A mother’s love is unconditional and serves as an emotional anchor for her children. She is a constant source of comfort, support, and encouragement, fostering a sense of security and belonging. Her compassion and empathy help her children navigate the turbulent waters of emotions, guiding them towards emotional maturity.

The Catalyst for Growth

A mother also plays a crucial role in her child’s personal and professional growth. She motivates her children to strive for their goals, instilling in them a sense of ambition and resilience. Her faith in their abilities boosts their self-confidence, allowing them to overcome obstacles and achieve success.

The Role Model

A mother is a role model, setting an example for her children through her actions, decisions, and attitudes. She teaches them about respect, kindness, and empathy, not through words, but through her interactions with others. Her strength and resilience in the face of adversity inspire her children to be strong and resilient themselves.

The Guardian of Tradition

In many cultures, mothers are the custodians of traditions and customs. They pass on cultural heritage and ancestral wisdom to their children, ensuring the continuity of their lineage and identity. This role of a mother helps children understand their roots and develop a sense of belonging.

In conclusion, the role of a mother in our life is profound and multifaceted. She is a life-giver, a teacher, an emotional anchor, a catalyst for growth, a role model, and a guardian of tradition. Her influence shapes us, making us who we are. As we grow and evolve, the lessons and values imparted by our mothers continue to guide us, serving as a compass in the journey of life.

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Motherhood in America: A Reading List

The experience and work of motherhood remained understudied for generations, but since the 1970s, scholars have engaged with the topic in diverse ways.

The family has long been understood as the basic unit of American cultural and political life. Yet the experience and work of motherhood, and mothers themselves, remained understudied for generations. Adrienne Rich’s pioneering 1976 text Of Woman Born: Motherhood as Experience and Institution inaugurated an era in which scholars sought to theorize the ambivalence that characterizes mothering. Rich contrasts the “potential relationship” of women to their powers of reproduction with the institution of motherhood, which aims at “ensuring that that potential—and all women—shall remain under male control.”

The texts in this reading list illuminate the potential for empowerment, alienation, and repression within motherhood. Because second-wave feminist scholars inaugurated the study of motherhood in the academy, late 1970s feminist scholarship features prominently here. From the outset, the field of “maternal studies” was characterized by an omission of the experiences and concerns of women who were not white, heterosexual, economically secure, or members of the academy. Many authors have corrected this omission with scholarship on Black, Native, and lesbian motherhood as well as mothering while disabled. Several texts explore the role of the state in regulating forms of mothering that don’t conform to the white nuclear family ideal on which are based traditional American conceptions of family.

Lastly, the list explores the relationship of mothers to the American medical system. Since the founding of the United States, women’s autonomy over pregnancy , childbirth, and family planning have shifted continuously. Today, as throughout history, motherhood is a barometer of America’s cultural and political ideas about women, mothers, and families. The research and scholarship featured here shows how cultural shifts alter the conditions under which American mothers perform their work.

Ruth H. Bloch, “ American Feminine Ideals in Transition: The Rise of the Moral Mother, 1785-1815 ,” Feminist Studies 4, no. 2 (1978): 101–26.

Early Puritans conceived of the ideal woman as a “help-meet” or ornament. Bloch’s reading of popular seventeenth- and eighteenth-century texts reveals how these conceptions gave way to the Victorian figure of the “moral mother,” whose role was to “establish gentle but firm moral discipline as early as possible” in their children. This duty granted Victorian mothers a degree of esteem; ideal mothers could obtain a limited (but heretofore absent) degree of education in their path toward piety. On the one hand, the role of moral mother “provided both ideological justification and incentive for the contraction of female activity into the preoccupations of motherhood.” On the other hand, “the rise of the moral mother also played its part in the long-range upgrading of the social status of women.”

Judith Walzer Leavitt, “ Under the Shadow of Maternity: American Women’s Responses to Death and Debility Fears in Nineteenth-Century Childbirth ,” Feminist Studies 12, no. 1 (1986): 129–54.

The shadow of death and debility haunted American women throughout the nineteenth century. Through an examination of mothers’ diaries and letters, Leavitt sheds light on the experience of childbearing in a time when “a possible death sentence came with every pregnancy.” In the face of their fears, women gathered to support one another during birth and recovery. In this way, Leavitt asserts, the shadow of birth “gave women the essence of a good life at the same time it contributed to a strict definition of that life’s boundaries.”

Carole Henry, “ Instructional Resources: Migrant Mother by Dorothea Lange ,” Art Education 48, no. 3 (1995): 25–40.

This instructional resource pulls together poetry, image analysis, historical context, and pedagogical instruction to explore Dorothea Lange’s famous photograph Migrant Mother . The result is a deeper understanding of the image’s power and its legacy in American history.

Mary Jacobus, “ Madonna: Like a Virgin; or, Freud, Kristeva, and the Case of the Missing Mother ,” Oxford Literary Review 8, no. 1/2 (1986): 35–50.

Freud’s theory of the Oedipal complex haunts every discourse about the development of sexuality and subjectivity. Jacobus focuses on the unreconcilable conflict in Freud’s theory wherein the female body is conflated with the maternal body but is also the object of male desire. By deploying Julia Kristeva’s theory of “the abject” to analyze Freud’s studies of Dora, Jacobus asserts that “the discourse of maternity becomes another name for the multifold divisions and ambiguities of sexual difference, in which we find ourselves mirrored, and again split.”

Ina May Gaskin, “ Intuition and the Emergence of Midwifery as Authoritative Knowledge ,” Medical Anthropology Quarterly 10, no. 2 (1996): 295–98.

Beginning in the 1970s, Gaskin was the lead midwife on The Farm, a rural community in Tennessee where midwives supported women through nonmedicalized births outside the hospital setting. In this article, she asserts that her intuition as a woman, mother, and birthing person was often more trustworthy than the accepted obstetrical knowledge about pregnancy and birth in the 1960s. She exhorts the obstetrical field to cease relying on technology for understanding and treating pregnant women, arguing that medicalized births and high cesarean rates pose high “personal, social, and medical costs.”  Traditional cultural wisdom is threatened, Gaskin claims, “as childbirth is moved into hospitals and midwives are made responsible to institutions rather than to their communities.”

Sara Ruddick, “ Maternal Thinking ,” Feminist Studies 6, no. 2 (1980): 342–67.

Ruddick’s text is part philosophical treatise, part cultural theory, and part first-person inquiry into the experience of motherhood. Ruddick articulates a concept of “maternal thinking,” positing that “out of maternal practices distinctive ways of conceptualizing, ordering, and valuing arise.” For her, all thought arises out of social practice. The practice of mothering produces a specific way of thinking oriented toward three interests in relationship to one’s children: preservation, growth, and acceptability. In her elaboration of these interests, she shows that the work of mothering is both self-contradictory and holds potential for creativity and joy. Ultimately, she asserts that “the self-conscious inclusion of maternal thought in the dominant culture will be of general intellectual and moral benefit.”

Evelyn Torton Beck, “ The Motherhood that Dare Not Speak its Name ,” Women’s Studies Quarterly 11, no. 4 (1983): 8–11.

Beck’s succinct essay provides a snapshot of lesbian women’s experience of motherhood in the late 1970s. Writing within the context of second-wave feminism, Beck asserts that “until all women’s studies scholarship and teaching includes a lesbian-feminist perspective, the homophobic and heterosexist biases of the dominant culture will be perpetuated in all of the disciplines, including women’s studies.”

Dorothy E. Roberts, “ Unshackling Black Motherhood ,” Michigan Law Review 95, no. 4 (1997): 938–64.

An influential legal scholar, Roberts composed this text in response to rising prosecutions of women for using drugs during pregnancy throughout the 1990s. In Roberts’s framing, “the prosecutions punished poor Black women for having babies” by violating these women’s rights to equal protection of the laws and to privacy. One South Carolina hospital’s punitive approach to prenatal drug use reveals how structural and ideological biases against Black mothers lead to government policies that regulate Black women’s reproductive decision-making. State intervention into Black maternity, Roberts asserts, is consistent with state regulation of the bodies and pregnancies of enslaved women from the time of America’s founding. Roberts also shows how media representations of Black mothers contribute to, and reflect, a widespread cultural belief that that Black childbearing causes social problems.

Lynn O’Brien Hallstein, “ The Intriguing History and Silences of Of Woman Born : Rereading Adrienne Rich Rhetorically to Better Understand the Contemporary Context ,” Feminist Formations , vol. 22, no. 2, 2010, pp. 18–41.

In Of Woman Born, Rich wrested the patriarchal institution of motherhood from the potentially empowering experience of mothering. O’Brien Hallstein examines receptions and interpretations of Rich’s text in the context of the rhetorical situations in which it was created. This reading reveals how both American culture and purveyors of feminist cultural theory were conditioned to receive the text and explains the text’s role in subsequent analyses of maternal experience. By rereading Of Woman Born within its rhetorical context, O’Brien Hallstein asserts, we can think more productively about “maternity” without splitting it into motherhood and mothering. In doing so, we prevent “undertheorizing and misdiagnosing” the split subjectivity that contemporary women experience in their relationship to both.

Barbara Gurr, “ Mothering in the Borderlands: Policing Native American Women’s Reproductive Healthcare ,” International Journal of Sociology of the Family 37, no. 1 (2011): 69–84.

Burr’s sociological study of Indian Health Services reproductive healthcare on the Pine Ridge Reservation examines the state’s role in producing and policing a privileged version of the family form. The state privileges traditional nuclear families in which the father is the breadwinner and the mother is in charge of domestic activities and childrearing. Burr’s research and interviews with Native women, activists, and healthcare providers leads her to conclude that by policing Native women’s access to and use of reproductive healthcare, the state seeks to “manage the threats of heterogeneity presented by Native women-as-reproducers.”

Angela Frederick, “ Mothering while Disabled ,” Contexts 13, no. 4 (2014): 30–35.

“Securing the right of people with disabilities to parent without interference is the last frontier of disability rights,” Frederick argues. She forthrightly supports this statement by showing how parents with disabilities experience a disproportionately high degree of involvement with social services. Social workers determine sanctions and custody details subjectively. These determinations, she asserts, are dependent upon speculation about potential parenting deficiencies that a mother’s disability might pose. Instead of engaging in this kind of speculation about disabled mothers, “we should be asking how we can help their families to thrive.”

Kara Van Cleaf, “ Of Woman Born to Mommy Blogged: The Journey from the Personal as Political to the Personal as Commodity ,” Women’s Studies Quarterly 43, no. 3/4 (2015): 247–64.

“Mommy blogs” offer an up-to-the-minute, authentic, less-isolated version of motherhood. In these respects, Van Cleaf observes, such blogs are potentially radical. But in her analysis of so-called mommy blogs, she finds that “the challenges of motherhood are overwhelmingly couched as personal problems that can be overcome by readjusting one’s mind,” rather than by readjusting patriarchal society. She contrasts this posture with Rich’s insistence that “the personal is political.” Furthermore, because mommy bloggers are motivated to seek profit by gaining followers, their mothering is enlisted into the project of neoliberal capitalism, wherein every human endeavor is cast in entrepreneurial terms.

Jennifer C. Nash, “ The Political Life of Black Motherhood ,” Feminist Studies 44, no. 3 (2018): 699–712.

Nash explores a set of scholarly texts on Black motherhood with a central question in mind: why is Black women’s subjectivity “politically visible only when it stands for the loss of another, a proximity to dead or dying Black—usually male—bodies”? She narrates the history of feminist representations of Black motherhood as powerful and spiritually rooted. Black mothering creates a “space of life-affirmation staged in (or against) a cultural moment that seeks to relegate [B]lack bodies to a space of death.” This conception of Black motherhood as inherently and always political, Nash points out, leaves little room for the ambivalence about mothering that is a hallmark of (white) feminism.

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Daniel A. Cox and Samuel J. Abrams, American Enterprise Institute, “ The Parents are Not All Right: the Experiences of Parenting During a Pandemic ,” American Enterprise Institute, 2020.

When schools and childcare providers closed in March 2020 to stem the spread of COVID-19, American parents’ lives were fundamentally altered, practically overnight. This research report provides data and insight about the ramifications of a cultural moment when “parents working 40-hour-a-week jobs suddenly became required to provide an additional 40 hours of childcare and schooling.” Mothers, especially, experienced mental health challenges; in July 2020, more than half of mothers reported symptoms of depression, and they felt socially isolated and lonely in higher numbers than fathers.

Gender Equity Policy Institute, “ The State of Reproductive Health in the United States: The End of Roe and the Perilous Road Ahead for Women in the Dobbs Era ,” January 19, 2023.

The US Supreme Court’s 2022 Dobbs decision radically altered the landscape of reproductive healthcare in the US. The data in this research report reveals how changes in policies affect women’s access to reproductive healthcare and their decisions about childbearing. The report examines access to contraception, rates of teen and unintended pregnancies, and maternal and infant mortality to conclude that

on every indicator, pregnant people, women, and their children have healthier outcomes in states that are supportive of reproductive freedom. Conversely, on every indicator, those who live in states that ban abortion or restrict reproductive and sexual health services have poorer outcomes and face grave risks to their health and well-being during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period.

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Home / Essay Samples / Life / Change / Becoming A Mother Transformed My Life

Becoming A Mother Transformed My Life

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