Earlier this year, a healthy little girl named Sumaira celebrated her birthday surrounded by her family. The candles on her cake reflect the happiness felt by her. A thriving mother is the answer to Sumaira’s happy home as her mum is able to cope with the varied challenges that life presents and effectively manages it.
Sumaira’s mum participated in a program called Flourish developed by the Dundee International Women’s Centre. Flourish is aimed at empowering mothers to build better lives and stronger communities through positive parenting and removing social isolation particularly among women from the black and ethnic minorities. Rise & Shine provides childcare service to mothers while they attend the weekly sessions held by Flourish.
Sumaira was one of the many children who benefited from Rise & Shine creche. Her mother Mansha who embraces motherhood finds parenting the most challenging, as well as the most rewarding job. For most mothers the journey of motherhood is intense in every sense of word. There are things that can bring about joy and deeper love, followed by the feeling of frustration and despair. Such as sleepless nights, challenging behavior, and many more. But what most people don’t talk about, or prepare you for is the isolation and loneliness that can come from being held day and night with relatively no interaction with others. Many women like Mansha migrated to Scotland not knowing anyone and are faced with language barriers finds themselves feeling very isolated.
“Flourish has provided Mansha with the opportunity to connect with other moms in a safe, non-judgmental environment while her children are being taken care off by Rise & Shine staff.”
Rise & Shine creche has given Mansha the time to nurture herself and her family. While her children are having fun, Mansha learns about different parenting techniques. She now knows how to balance love and discipline, and implements the concept of being firm and kind with her children. The little time off she gets from her children has enabled Mansha to live a fuller life and be a better role model to her family.
Name of individuals in this post is altered for confidentiality purposes