The Invisible Mother

The Invisible Mother

by Haylee

No card will be opened,
No flowers received,
No gestures of gratitude,
Appreciation of deeds.

A day set for others,
I don’t meet the grade,
I’m not in their club,
A decision I made.

I may not be a mother,
Giving birth to my own,
Or have given a child,
A new life in our home.

But five days a week,
I do dry their tears
Give advice and comfort,
Watch them grow through the years.

I wash sports kits, mend shoes,
Find food when there’s none,
Solve squabbles, build friendships,
Support when loved ones are gone.

And I listen,
And I listen,
And they talk
And they cry.

And we play,
And we build,
And we dance,
And we try.

Many times I’ve been screamed at,
Words wounding the pride,
But I guide their behaviour,
Still stay by their side.

Some more than others
Steal a place in my heart,
But my love goes unspoken,
Not allowed to impart.

Yet they know that I love them,
And I know it’s returned,
Through their smiles, their respect,
And their trust I have earned.

I may not be a mother,
In the conventional way,
But it’s attitude, not biology,
Whatever others may say.

In loco parentis,
From eight until three,
I’m a mother to hundreds,
There are many like me.

Happy Mother’s Day whether you’re a mother to toddlers or teenagers, cats, dogs, dragons, students or just your other half! Enjoy! 💕

IMAGE CREDITS: Pinterest

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15 thoughts on “The Invisible Mother”

  1. Your poem is priceless, Haylee. As a teacher, I remember once a child whose mother absolutely hated him; you could tell from the parent conference. Once he asked me to fix a button on his shirt, and I fixed his button, but I just wanted to take him home. Yes, there are all kinds of mothering.

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  2. I love this Haylee…more than you could know. You are an exceptional teacher…your words prove that’s true. So lovely to share your love. 🙂

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  4. I’ve been on both sides of mothering, Haylee. I have one I gave birth to and raised as a single parent from that moment, and hundreds more I cared for either as a Child Care Provider (22+ years) or a children’s theater costumer (15 years). I know mothering other people’s children is just as meaningful as mothering your own — the main difference seems to me to be the knowledge that when they’re someone else’s, eventually, someone else will take over. lol

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    1. Unfortunately, in my current role, that’s sometimes the worst part – knowing what they’re going back to 😦 But we try to make their time as happy as possible whilst in our care.
      Of course sometimes, when there’s no other cause for concern, it’s a godsend to be getting the break!

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  6. This is perfectly lovely Haylee and makes me want to hug you for the motherly love that it shows.
    I saw yesterday that someone was suggesting having a genderless “Person’s Day” in place of Mothering Sunday. The mind boggles, and they obviously didn’t bother to research just how it all came to be!

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    1. Virtual hug accepted Peter! And thank you – I’m pleased I was able to convey the sentiment I wanted.
      People want a day for everything now, just an excuse to capitalise on something I guess or make it seem more politically correct / less likely to offend the Outraged at Everything Brigade!!

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