What Do You Love Most About Being a Mom?

I used to feel sorry for classmates who, when it's time to share about your parents' occupations, say that their mom is "just a plain housewife." It surely doesn't sound as pompous as when you say "My mom is a lawyer" ...or a doctor ...or a businesswoman. I usually imagine a frazzled woman wearing that floral daster doing nothing but cook and clean the house all day. What a boring place to be in, I used to think. Now that I'm a mother myself however, I realize how wrong I had been to judge housewives like that!

Being a mother, whether or not you have a professional career outside the home, is one of the most noble jobs and the biggest responsibilities one could ever have.

Mothers are on-call 24/7, we rarely have days off, and to top it all off, we are not paid for being a mom. Most of the time, we are under-appreciated... even hated (hello teen years). Multiply all that by two if you are a single mom!

But surely, there are a lot of rewards that make everything worth it. In celebration of Mother's Day, I would like to know what for you are the perks of being a mom. Let me start with mine. I love being a mom for:

- the adoring glance of an innocent child that tells you that there is nothing - nothing - you can possibly do wrong.
- the small, groping hand that rests on my face or chest at night.
- the moan of pleasure my husband gives (it's not what you think!) upon tasting a dish I experimented with.
- the whispered secrets shared between me and my daughter.


- the grateful smiles.
- the kisses and hugs of thanks that take me by surprise.
- overhearing my daughter tell her playmates how wonderful her mother is.
- the twinkle in my daughter's eyes for the simplest things given her.
- the shared moments in prayer.
- the surprise pasalubong or cup of coffee after a long day's work
- the sweet good mornings (as if I look like a queen each time I wake up)
- seeing your child follow your instructions and take your reminders to heart
- laughing at jokes
- the chance to see your baby grow into a smart, independent person with the help of your partner and the people who love you under the guidance of God
- the shared experience of going to new places and trying something new
- the chance to give and experience unconditional love.
- making new memories each day to remind me one day of a life fulfilled.

Of course, words will never be enough to describe those tender moments and the exhilaration about each small victory. But I am grateful for this day and for the chance to become a better person as a mother. I am also thankful for being shown how hard my mother worked for our family and appreciate all mothers more.

How about you? What compensates for all those sleepless nights, for all the stress, and for all the sacrifices we constantly have to make? Do share. :) Happy Mother's Day mommies!

Naomi, 27, is married six years to her husband, Gan, and is mom to seven-year-old Nini-pie. She spends most of her day in front of the computer, working as freelance copywriter. Apart from eating out with her family, she likes reading, art, watching suspense thriller films, football, going to the beach, tweeting, and cooking (although whether that last one likes her back is still subject to debate).