It is a privilege to curate for #MSP-Curation every Saturday as a part of the @Minnowsupport initiative. "Peace, Abundance, Liberty" is the motto of PAL, which supports all Hive users, but notably the minnows.

And what a wonderful opportunity to pick five articles from Ladies of Hive, which is my main focus!

Each of these articles have been upvoted by @minnowsupport. Thank you @minnowsupport for this tremendous initiative and for your support!

@omobolanle1

Link to the article: https://peakd.com/hive-124452/@omobolanle1/loh-contest-184-sweet-mother-how-can-i-forget-you

My Mom and my Dad got separated after about 5 years into their union. My Dad left the house one day when I was just about 4 years old and my sister about 2 years. He left and never came back.
The struggle for survival was fierce as it was not easy. My Mom struggled with the emotional trauma of losing her childhood lover to a strange woman and the pressure to provide for our needs.
My mom took up menial jobs such as cooking for other households, doing their laundry and cleaning their environment just to feed herself, my sister and I. I grew up to see how she was going through pain just to ensure my sister and I get the best.
Oh! A mother's love is peace that you do not need to acquire or struggle for. A mother loves wholeheartedly and can do anything just to ensure their children are safe, happy and blessed.
Despite the struggle, I didn't lack anything that could pass for basic needs. She ensured we lived in a good environment, attended good schools even up to the tertiary levels.
All I am today is the relentless effort of my Mom. How she never got tired of providing for our needs even when it wasn't convenient. There were times she cried all the other night. Even when she tried to hide it from us, we still noticed it.
She didn't spare us any corrections while growing up. When youthful exuberance was about to make us derail, her rod of corrections was there to restore us back to factory settings (lol, on a lighter note though). My Mom was a disciplinarian that I couldn't afford to mess up.
The efforts of my Mom in ensuring that my siblings and I are successful is immeasurable. Her love is unquantifiable, we can't forget her inputs in our lives in a hurry.

@niranaway

Link to the article: https://peakd.com/hive-124452/@niranaway/the-priceless-memory-of-my

Sometimes I tend to wonder what would have happened to me or become of me if my mum had not played her role as a mother in my life, I guess would still have been a man but maybe I would have become a vagabond and anytime I looked back to where I came from, how I have grown and the kind of man I am becoming, I will always give kudos to my mom because her role in my life is the reason a woman will not want to say no to me in the place of relationship/interaction.
The reason I am not part of the people who are terrorizing the society, the reason I am part of the people making the society a safe place is as a result of the upbringing or values inculcated by my mom and this is not to say my dad was not there or played his role as a father but the major training came from my mom.
I lost my dad at a young age which really changed the trajectory of our lives as a family because my siblings are four and with my mom, makes it six. This was a challenging season for me, her and my siblings. So there are many memories of my mom and it is really hard to pick one but I will talk about a particular one I will never forget in my life.
As at the time we lost my dad, she began to think of what to do that would really sustain five children so that they won't become thieves or vagabond in the society. So she settled with doing odd jobs such as washing clothes, sweeping houses for people so as to make a living for me and my siblings. I remember vividly how two of my siblings and I will close from school, get to the house and after eating afternoon food (garri with groundnut) we will have to follow her to those places. So while she's washing, I will rewash, one of my siblings will rinse and the last one will spread the clothes. During that period, I learnt resilient, I learnt hard work is the way to succeed in life, I learnt no matter the situation you can survive.
But truth be told, there were days I prayed we do not go out to do those odd jobs and I guess you know as a teenager, you tend to feel ashamed of those things most especially when your peers see you and God help you to be seen by the girl your eyes are lurking around on. Lol. Sometimes we will deliberately get home late because we don't want to do those jobs anymore and you can't blame us, any teenager could do the same but we like it or not, we will have to go because we know at the end it will put food on our table.
Looking back now, I realized if she had not trained us with those things, maybe I must have turned an internet fraudster, or maybe a kidnapper or anything that might cause the society unrest.

@exgen-30

Link to the article: https://peakd.com/hive-124452/@exgen-30/mother-is-not-just-a-woman-but-a-superwoman-184

Being a mother is one of the most challenging parts of our lives. Because you have lot of sacrifices ever since, you carried your child in your womb for 9 months, and until you give birth to your child you will do all your best for them as a mom. Mother’s love is so unconditional. I salute all the mother out there how they stand to protect and support their family.
I’m proudly say that my mother is one of the best example who proves that. She was a single mother and I see how she became a strong independent woman that she could ever be.
And that’s why I could say, the first time I became a mother, the greatest lesson I’ve learned was to be strong like her and remember that life is too short, love yourself and give your best and we must be stay positive in what life brings.
The women have a very clear role today in society, and that was their great contribution in our society,They are more who is busy at home doing all around and they prove that what men’s can do they can do also.
The Favorite memory of my mom was, when I was young every time she go home from her work after how many months she always hug me and kiss me 🥺❤️ and last month when she was confined in the hospital I never forget how she showed how much she loves me❤️ I feel how she loves me when she hugs me that time one's again like I'm come back to a child again.❤️
I am so thankful to God the she was my mom❤️

@eliany

Link to the article: https://peakd.com/hive-124452/@eliany/loh-community-contest-184-an-hilarious-favourite-memory-of-my-mom

That fateful day my menstrual cycle came when I was still in school, so I returned home wet for the first time, I had to tell my mom about the new change occurrence. A
Since I was already schooled about it, I knew it was my menstrual cycle
I can not remember the precise date but I still remember that afternoon in my uniform, I went to tell my mom about it, and she was standing outside our balcony. I needed to tell her about the new change and get money from her to get my sanitary pad even though I was a bit scared of her outbursts as we both rarely have conversation and it gets weird for me especially since my dad was not around.
Immediately I stood in front of her and started telling her my experience in school, she allowed me to finish telling her whatever I had to tell her and what I needed, and when I was done, she stepped into the room and beckoned to me.
She asked that I show her what I was talking about and I had to but shyly. when I was done, she said to me, "I hope you know this is the beginning of womanhood for you, avoid men at all costs and make sure no man touches you because if any man does, you are immediately going to get pregnant and if you do, I am going to disown you, do not bring disgrace to me, you are my only daughter."
She also went on to say that "When she started seeing her flow, she did not use a sanitary pad, she was taught how to use napkins and she was going to show me how to use it, and make it clean and keep for another day. In her words, she said that since sanitary pads are always thrown away with blood in them, some bad people go to the waste where they are disposed of, and pick it up so they can use it to harm the owners.
Even though I knew the truth, I was a bit scared about the new revelation my mom had just revealed to me and didn't know how to respond or react but I had to let her know that I had heard what she had said, would adhere to her warning and I promised her not to disgrace her as her only daughter, be of good behaviour and avoid men.
When I think back to her motherly advice, to me, I can not help but laugh at how she had thought that a man just touching me, even though I understood her concept of "touching" better, but since she didn't want to explain it further or elaborate it, I just always burst out laughing when I think about that fateful day because why on earth were our mothers taught that way and then, they passed on such teaching to us.

@magamo

Link to the article: https://peakd.com/hive-124452/@megamo/ladies-of-hive-community-contest-68390b4b6296d

My greatest lessons as a mother is indeed rewarding and challenging.
Motherhood is challenging,truth must be told!!!
I had to face the problem of raising my kids and balancing employment. I was working as banker then, twelve years ago and I was in operations unit department which had to do with cash and balancing,we work 8am -4pm, though nursing mothers were told to go home by latest 2pm but if you hadn't balanced your cash, you can leave work place.
I struggled to get good sleep, because you need to wake up early breastfeed, make ready lunch packs for my son who is older and make sure the feeding of other members of the family is sorted before going to work in the morning.
I had to create time out of no time to spend quality time with the children, so they don't feel lonely,but loved, know their friends so they are not bullied ,abused or suffer peer pressure etc.
Helping them with their homework where the need arises, having a good communication with their class teachers, to be abreast of the happenings in the school, in the days of sports, culture, speech and prize giving day, birthdays,excursions, home economics days(cooking practical or project days)
Households chores was a challenge, meeting up ,to ensure the kitchen, toilets, sitting rooms were clean, to ensure the home environment was in order, I had to plan and be deliberate to attain it.
Laundry had to be done ,to ensure they kids wore clean clothes and stay in a neat environment.
The kids will need proper discipline,they can be naughty at times. There was an intentional need for constructive discipline to given to them, where it was appropriate to form the right attitude and behavior in the home and in the society.
Motherhood is for a life time,
Motherhood is a ministry,
Motherhood is intentional,
Motherhood is a privilege,
Motherhood is a blessing,
Motherhood is a Journey,
We as mothers are caregivers and custodian of our children.
God expects us to give our best to them, as he helps us.
We pray for grace to do more.
It is not easy at all, that's why we need the grace and wisdom of God to do so.
We are expected to be role models, planning, organizing and coordinating of the home.
Every child is unique and special.Children are not to be compared with each other.
God loves our children!!!
More grace and strength to all the mothers in house. I salute and celebrate you all.
The rewarding part of being a mother is the Joy the children give the home. When you watch them grow and attain success. Fulfilling their dreams and making us proud as we grow older in age.
The fun and laughter,they spread can never be undermined 😊.

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