My motherhood journey started back home in Ghana as a young, single, working mother. It was not an easy journey for me and its still not, though my present motherhood life is much more calmer and better. I learnt a lot about myself, womanhood and motherhood. Between taking care of my baby and working at the same the time was the most difficult situation I have ever experienced as a woman and mother.
Motherhood in Ghana is an all women affair, women are the sole caregivers and caretakers in the lives of the children. Men play less role in bringing up children in the family mostly because majority of the family men, are the income earners. Thus women and mothers are left with all the responsibilities of the raising the children in the Ghanaian communities. This taught me one thing before I got pregnant, that, I am and was going to play an important role in the lives of my children.
Also, for me, growing up and watching my mom run the home so efficiently even though she had a trade to also manage, became an important source of motivation and inspiration for me as a mother even today. When I became a young single working mother, with literally no knowledge of raising a child, it was not an easy journey. Yes it was not an easy journey at all. It took a lot more than physical strength to be able to finally really understood the meaning of motherhood. The sacrifices of being young single working mother was much higher and emotionally exhausting that I ever thought or read about.
I lived alone with my son in our family house in a very small community and I went through a lot of social shun because of my status as a young single working mother. From name callings to losing friends are among the many negative things I experienced. During the first year of having my baby, I worked as mobile phone recharge cards sales person. I woke up early in the morning with my son to get to my point of sales job everyday. I had to feed my son sometimes in the broad day light and in view of both customers and by passers. It was one of the longest year in my life and it taught me that hard work always pays off in life. It taught me how to be an independent hard working mother.
During the second year, I had to enrol him in a day care so I could search for a better job to keep us alive because the old job was not good for the health of my son and myself. I found myself a job as sales attendant in a reputable supermarket. The initial monthly salary was not much but it was better than the old job, and I promised myself not to disappoint my son and the few people who supported me. I worked harder and longer hours which eventually landed me with a good salary and bonuses that made our lives very comfortable and better. We were able to have some good times together as our financial burdens got less.
The third year of our lives together I had a much better job opportunity in another city but my son had changed schools and I did not want to have him go through that again. Fortunately a member of my family was very kind enough to allow my son stay with her so I could relocate for the job. And that was the beginning of good times and more hard work for my son and myself. I was able to finally provide for everything he wished and wanted for as a boy and I got spend better times with him every now and then. I was able to build a much calmer and fun filled bonds with him besides the biological bond. It was not easy to have him live far from me and its still isn't but it made me realise that there is more to life than chasing after money always. The more time I spent from him the more time I needed to make to spend with him and it was worth it.
Having my son is the best thing that happened to me because by being a young single mother, I learnt a lot about life. And am always grateful to the few people I had in my life, who helped me to cope with the daily demands of being a young single working mother. Their unfeigned support and encouragement built my confidence as a mother. My motherhood journey in Ghana, helped shaped me into becoming the smart mother I think I am today. Everything I am today as a mother, is inspired by my motherhood journey in Ghana. It was not an easy journey and it still isn't, it was not always happy times and it still isn't but it was definitely the most amazing journey I have ever experienced in life. No mother is perfect, we simply try to make it work. That's why I chose to celebrate motherhood everyday so as not to forget the true beauty of being a mother.
Motherhood in Ghana is an all women affair, women are the sole caregivers and caretakers in the lives of the children. Men play less role in bringing up children in the family mostly because majority of the family men, are the income earners. Thus women and mothers are left with all the responsibilities of the raising the children in the Ghanaian communities. This taught me one thing before I got pregnant, that, I am and was going to play an important role in the lives of my children.
Also, for me, growing up and watching my mom run the home so efficiently even though she had a trade to also manage, became an important source of motivation and inspiration for me as a mother even today. When I became a young single working mother, with literally no knowledge of raising a child, it was not an easy journey. Yes it was not an easy journey at all. It took a lot more than physical strength to be able to finally really understood the meaning of motherhood. The sacrifices of being young single working mother was much higher and emotionally exhausting that I ever thought or read about.
I lived alone with my son in our family house in a very small community and I went through a lot of social shun because of my status as a young single working mother. From name callings to losing friends are among the many negative things I experienced. During the first year of having my baby, I worked as mobile phone recharge cards sales person. I woke up early in the morning with my son to get to my point of sales job everyday. I had to feed my son sometimes in the broad day light and in view of both customers and by passers. It was one of the longest year in my life and it taught me that hard work always pays off in life. It taught me how to be an independent hard working mother.
During the second year, I had to enrol him in a day care so I could search for a better job to keep us alive because the old job was not good for the health of my son and myself. I found myself a job as sales attendant in a reputable supermarket. The initial monthly salary was not much but it was better than the old job, and I promised myself not to disappoint my son and the few people who supported me. I worked harder and longer hours which eventually landed me with a good salary and bonuses that made our lives very comfortable and better. We were able to have some good times together as our financial burdens got less.
The third year of our lives together I had a much better job opportunity in another city but my son had changed schools and I did not want to have him go through that again. Fortunately a member of my family was very kind enough to allow my son stay with her so I could relocate for the job. And that was the beginning of good times and more hard work for my son and myself. I was able to finally provide for everything he wished and wanted for as a boy and I got spend better times with him every now and then. I was able to build a much calmer and fun filled bonds with him besides the biological bond. It was not easy to have him live far from me and its still isn't but it made me realise that there is more to life than chasing after money always. The more time I spent from him the more time I needed to make to spend with him and it was worth it.
Having my son is the best thing that happened to me because by being a young single mother, I learnt a lot about life. And am always grateful to the few people I had in my life, who helped me to cope with the daily demands of being a young single working mother. Their unfeigned support and encouragement built my confidence as a mother. My motherhood journey in Ghana, helped shaped me into becoming the smart mother I think I am today. Everything I am today as a mother, is inspired by my motherhood journey in Ghana. It was not an easy journey and it still isn't, it was not always happy times and it still isn't but it was definitely the most amazing journey I have ever experienced in life. No mother is perfect, we simply try to make it work. That's why I chose to celebrate motherhood everyday so as not to forget the true beauty of being a mother.
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