Is motherhood overrated?

First things first - I am a mother - and love my kids unconditionally and have no grudges against motherhood, and in fact am more traditional in my lifestyle than I actually like. Yet, the more I read about motherhood, the joys of children, the more it makes me think, is motherhood really worth it and is it for everyone?




I see so many zealous writers writing and if I may say so -preaching about how to raise kids, that the pressures of being a mother really takes out all the fun and pleasures of motherhood. To those who have noted, I am using the word "motherhood", and it is quite deliberately too. Being a father is not a "biological" necessity, as is being a mother - at least according to society. Men don’t face the pressure of having missed out on something in life as women are Fatherhood is almost like the icing on the cake, if you are a good father, great but generally all the responsibility of raising well- adjusted and good citizens of the world is on the mother. In fact I remember reading an article stating that kids raised by lesbian parents (2 x moms) do better. Talk about pressures on a single mother!



I believe, motherhood like every other relation, every other commitment in life comes with its shares of joys and sorrows. People who think cooing and smiling babies is all there is to it are wrong. It’s a "better or worse" relationship where the onus is on the mother for relationship to survive. You will be 70 years, and can still expect your 45 year old daughter to call you complaining about a loss of job, or a broken heart. Just like marriage is not for everyone, so is motherhood. It’s just not fulfilling the need to nurture someone; it is a commitment for lifetime. The joys are boundless, but so are the pains. Every time your child hurts, you are going to hurt more, every time they lose, your heart will break.



The joys of motherhood are inexplicable, yet I firmly believe, it is just as natural to not to want to be responsible for another human being’s upbringing. Like most things in life, we tend to live our lives by the dictates of the society’s expectations, all searching for the mirage of a fulfilled life apparently led by our forefathers!