Becoming a mother is my greatest achievement in life..
-Pachuchay
Hi, I am Melinda, also known as Pachuchay. I am the mother of a young lady who is now in college studying computer studies. I gave birth at a young age, when I was 23. Well, some might say that it is not considered young compared to this generation, but in my generation, it was.
It was a big challenge for me being a first-time mom, and I guess it also applies to every woman who becomes one. From changing diapers to sleepless nights. The most difficult part was every time my daughter got sick. I was crying and so nervous. I thought that my baby would die because she had a fever or cold. I'd rather get sick than lose my baby. I had no one to rely on every time it happened. No one taught me what to do or what not to do. My mother was living far from us and was working; she only visited us from time to time, so I had no one else to ask about everything.
I remember when I gave her her first bath. I was so nervous, but it was so fulfilling afterward. When she had her first shot, it broke my heart when she cried out loud. Ugh, I wish I could take away the pain in just a snap.
But all those hardships were worth it when I saw her take her first step. when I heard her first word, "Mama." Seeing her smiles and giggles with laughter take all those worries away. When she started school, I was a proud mama who would take her to school and fetch her later. When she was bullied by her schoolmate, I almost gave that kid a beating, but I restrained myself because he is also someone else's precious son. Instead, I gave him an earful.
When she graduated from kindergarten, I cried so hard when she received her diploma. I remember my husband's exact words that time: "You cried as if your daughter graduated from college." I gave him a slight tap on his back and said, "I am just happy for her." She had accomplished something by herself. He then replied, "She's not alone; you're there with her every step of the way."
Yes, he was right. I was with her all the time. From her first crush to her first heartbreak, from her disappointments to her first achievements. There was this one time when she went home, gloomy. I asked her what happened, and she said that she was not included in the honor roll. She said she was so disappointed in herself and was worried that we might scold her for not doing her best. I gave her a hug and told her that it's okay, that we are not mad or disappointed, that we are not pressuring her to achieve something in school. What matters to us is her well-being and that she enjoys what she's doing. But hey, I am proud to say that she graduated from JHS and SHS with high honors.
With that being said, we try not to be very strict with her. I would say 50/50 when it comes to being strict. We allowed her to do what she wanted, but with limitations. We wanted her to know more about life at her own pace. I made sure that we had open communication. We always asked for her opinion on every issue that we encountered to make her feel like she was part of every decision that we made in our family and that her opinion mattered.
And now that she is no longer a teenager, looking back at those days makes me sad. I am afraid that she no longer needs me by her side. She will have to live her life eventually. But I know, and we know, that we did our best for her to become a good person. To prepare her for the neverending battles in life. Life is tough, so I hope that I made her tougher to deal with all the shits in life.
Every mother's dream is to see their child or children succeed in life. We may have different ways, but the bottom line is that it is our great pride to see them achieve their dreams and know that we are part of it.
Cheers to us!
