Dear Mom,
We are getting close to the holidays and nearing the end of the year. This year has certainly been very different from every other year before. While this is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, it truly has left some scars for a lot of people. Some people may not be able this year to buy a lot of toys or any toys at all. But I am here to say that things will be better. What kids remember the most are experiences. So despite any hardships you have encountered this year, I encourage you to make this a memorable holiday time with your loved ones. After all, you made it through one of the toughest years of our lifetime. That alone makes you a warrior and is proof that you can accomplish anything that life throws at you. Here is my open holiday letter to all the moms out there.
To the working mom:
You above all would know what it means to make sacrifices. In order to help contribute to the household income, you have sacrificed spending precious time with your babies and woken up tired to drive to work to spend hours there to drive back in traffic. You may have left your baby with someone else since they were a few months old and may have experienced the tremendous inconvenience of pumping at work. This year, you had an almost impossible task. You had to work from home while taking care of your kids and possibly even homeschooling them. This just shows what a true badass you are at multi-tasking. We all know that you had too much on your plate this year and commend you for accomplishing the impossible. Enjoy the holidays with your loved ones! You truly deserve it!
To the stay-at-home mom:
You dedicated your life to your children being there for them 24/7, educating them, teaching them right from wrong. You never get an hour lunch break, paid time off, or a bonus for excellent work. Often, people try to dismiss your job as being easy but I see you and appreciate you. You have managed to guide your family through an emotionally draining time and were there for them more than ever without any breaks. I really hope you have the most joyous holidays with the home you created for your family!
To the involuntary SAHM:
If you have been laid off this year even though you really liked your job and wanted to keep it, rest assured that you have done your very best and it is not your fault. COVID-19 closures have been financially challenging for a lot of businesses which forced them to restructure which oftentimes means laying off people. I know there are a lot of you out there who had to somehow manage to support your family without getting any income. Your time will come! The economy will recover and you will get back in the workforce. Maybe this is a good time to reflect or where you want your life to go career-wise. Do you even want to stay in the corporate world? Is there a skill you want to learn to further advance in your career? I hope that for now you can put the worries aside and enjoy the holidays with your family. Remember: the sky is the limit and you can achieve anything you want!
To the expecting mom:
Congratulations on your new addition to your family! A baby is such a blessing no matter what the circumstances are. You certainly got pregnant in quite a crazy year! Due to COVID-19, most hospitals and OB/GYNs changed their policy to not even allowing the baby’s Dad to be part of the ultrasound, one of the most amazing experiences for a pregnant mom. You are probably quite sad about the fact that you cannot share the joy of your new baby with your significant other and have to go through all of this in isolation. But if there is one thing to know about motherhood is that moms are extremely strong and so are you! You will have plenty of time to share the joy of having a baby with your loved ones once you have given birth and things have gone back to normal. To be quite frank, there is not such a thing as the perfect time to have a baby so just enjoy the ride. If you want to plan a virtual baby shower, here are some tips in this article. But for now, just enjoy your holidays with that beautiful growing belly of yours!
To the mompreneur:
If you have your own business and you’re a mom, you are basically a wonder woman. It is very admirable and takes a lot of guts for a woman to follow her dream and start her company to support her family. This year might have been a disappointing year for your business. Many people lost their jobs this year and had to keep their money together which means sales may have plummeted. Or maybe you had just reached momentum before the pandemic and now it went all down the drain. But don’t worry, mama! You will find the same willpower you had when first opening your business to get yourself back on track. Maybe you will have to tweak your business model and change up some things but one bad year does not mean you have to give up your dreams! I wish you the most amazing holidays with your family. And don’t forget: you’re a Rockstar!
To the mom who had the best year of her life:
You may be one of those unicorns who cannot relate to any of the above. Your company’s sales may have skyrocketed this year. Or you may have kicked ass at work and gotten a raise. Or you may have had a serious quarantine glow-up and gotten in the best shape of your life! If you feel like 2020 has been YOUR year, you may not want to openly celebrate it out of empathy for all the losses and hardships others have experienced this year! But I am here to tell you that you did an amazing job! You managed to turn a negative situation into something positive which is a true gift to have. I hope you get to celebrate during these holidays and end this year 2020 with a bang!
As you can tell, no matter what everyone’s individual situation was, most moms had some challenges this year to deal with. If you know a mom and would like to cheer her up for the holidays, check out Baby and Sunshine’s holiday boxes that are still available until 31/12/2020. In order to give back, Baby and Sunshine will give a mini box to a family in need. Head over to their Instagram to nominate a mom/dad in need who is currently pregnant or has a new baby.
I hope you enjoy the holidays and have a wonderful time with their family!
Lots of Love,
Bella – The Miami Mami