Mother - A nerve center of a family

Yesterday the world observed "World Women's Day". I was asked to write an article for the Hindu and it was published. Here it is....

Ask a child about whom they approach to confide about a grievance, and the answer shouldn’t surprise anyone to hear as ‘mother’. It is believed that the fathers are to protect and provide, while the mothers are to care and nurture their children so naturally children feel more comfortable with mothers than fathers.

Mother has an uncanny ability to sense trouble in her child and will be the first one to confront it. So what makes a mother so much more connected to her flock than the others? Is it the biology? If so how do we account for all the love that adoptive mothers shower upon their children? It is not becoming a mother but the sense of motherhood is what connects.

So for all that the mother gives, does she get anything in return? She doesn’t expect anything to begin with but many times her own family forces distress on her inadvertently and also intentionally. It begins with the husband (father) and unfortunately ends with the children. Distress comes in many forms such as physical, mental, verbal, and emotional.

When mothers love is unconditional and boundless, it is the family’s responsibility to protect and preserve this nerve center to keep it like well oiled machine. It must begin with none other than the husband to set an example. As an anonymous quote says “The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother” is very telling about the importance of love that must exist between the mother and the father for the children to grow up to be loving.

There are many studies that proved that children that are loved and cared for becomes loving, caring and giving in return. Loving and respecting the mother should become the most important activity of the family to keep the family together and strong.