As we celebrate Mother’s Day this year, let us reflect on what mums really need to thrive in motherhood.

In a recent survey conducted with 829 mothers by Focus on the Family Singapore, most respondents (79 per cent) said that they experienced some form of “mum guilt”.

Often, this happens because perceived societal expectations put them under stress. They also compare themselves to other mums.

Constant feelings of guilt can lead to unhealthy stress, anxiety and even anger. These may affect our emotional well-being and relationships in the family.

Our survey results showed that six in 10 mothers experienced anxiety and worry each week. Seven out of 10 reported feeling angry and frustrated weekly.

While mum guilt may be pervasive in our society, we do not have to accept this as the status quo.

This Mother’s Day, let us consider how we can support mothers, so that they may truly experience the joy of motherhood.

In the survey, many mothers said that, in challenging situations, husbands and friends were their sources of encouragement and help.

Besides the continuing support of a community, mothers need their spouse to share the parenting load.

As a mother, I know that motherhood is not a perfect journey and is fraught with challenges.

Even so, the joy of motherhood is in recognising the small victories that we experience daily.

These could be as simple as a child giving us a hug on a tough day or finishing his homework unsupervised, or a chat with our spouse amid a hectic day.

These moments add up over time to help our families and relationships flourish.  

As a community, let us remind the mums of the small victories we have seen in their lives and families.

This Mother’s Day, we should go beyond flowers and presents, and give the gift of encouragement.