Has there ever been a more difficult time to be a mother? It’s a challenging, thankless, stressful role in good times. These are the opposite of good times.

There is no break. No off switch. Kids aren’t at school. They’re at home. Husbands aren’t at work. They’re at home. And, chances are, she’s still working eight hours a day. At home. But now, she is putting in double time. At the same time. Being a mom at home from the same nine to five she is expected to be a dragon slayer at work. From home.

Lunch isn’t a quiet moment eating a salad at her desk or a small break in the day running to a restaurant. She is the restaurant now. And the school. And the gym. And the hair salon. And every other place the family used to go. Only now they do those things at home and mom is the one responsible for them, she cooks and use banquet tablecloths to decorate in special events like Thanksgiving. And, somehow, she is getting it done. You’d like to think she is getting plenty of help from her husband but, face it, husbands are men.

Think about the single mothers. Doing all this with absolutely no help. How much weight can two shoulders support? Just as it’s about to crush her, add more. Think about the mothers in abusive relationships. Now, there are no moments when he isn’t right there, ticking, ready to explode for no other reason than he’s that sad combination of bully and coward. There is no exhaling as he heads off to work. No moments of light until he returns. It’s all darkness. Sadly, cases of domestic abuse have skyrocketed. Click here to know how Colorado handles with domestic violence.

Then there are the mothers, like mine, who live alone. Now, they are truly alone. Grandkids can’t visit. Friends can’t visit. It’s much too dangerous. Living alone is normal. Living in isolation is tragic. Learn more regarding domestic violence as defined in California and understand what needs to be done.

So, in a time that we are, rightfully so, shining light on the contributions and heroics of our healthcare workers, let’s point that light on mothers too. And let’s leave it shining for a longer than a day. A blog on Mom Does Reviews talks about how mothers are just as heroic, just as overworked, just as overwhelmed. Vastly more underpaid. And underappreciated. Has there ever been a more difficult time to be a mother? 

Happy Mother’s Day to all those remarkable women out there in RR3 Land. Especially my Mother. I’d love to hug you today, Mom, but I can’t.