Celebrating the diversity of motherhood
At Freelancing Gems we celebrate the diversity of motherhood, the different significant relationships we hold in our lives – be it with your birth-mother, your step-mother, grandmother, a special friend, as a working mum, stay-at-home mum, a fur mum, adoptive mum, bereaved mum, and the women trying desperately to become mums – we see you ALL, warrior women, and we salute you and everything you do!
In the lead up to Mother’s Day we want to celebrate our unique experiences and share a bit about our mums and our own diverse stories of motherhood.
Tracy and Fleur
Tracy is a mother of two, a wife, an author and an interior designer. She is the mother to Freelancing Gems CEO Fleur Madden, and ‘Gracy’ to Fleur’s two children Josiah and Theodore.
Tracy believes that motherhood has been her greatest gift, with her career paling into insignificance when compared with being a mum.
“Marrying at 18, I was 20 when I fell pregnant with Fleur. Four years later we had Nicholas. I revelled in this new role of motherhood.”
“Each stage captivated me. Someone once said to me that it was like any job. You could do your best and make a career out of it, or do it half hearted. I made a deliberate choice to do it well.” – Tracy Madden
Quickly realising that her children were her very best asset, Tracy fought hard to ensure her work never interfered with any part of being a mother, saying she was lucky enough to only work school hours.
These days, Tracy says she has no idea how modern mothers do all they do.
“I don’t believe they have the choices we had. And although it didn’t seem it at the time, looking back, I can easily see that life was definitely slower paced, and for many there was less pressure whilst our children were young.” – Tracy Madden
That certainly has changed. “But guess what, I made one of those ladies who champions it so well. I’d like to think that was the way she was raised.”
While Tracy’s journey into motherhood did not differ from the norm, Fleur has had quite a different journey. For the first 30 years of her life, Mother’s Day was a wonderful day for Fleur to celebrate her lovely mum. “However, I did reach an age where I really wanted to be a mum and for the longest time Mother’s Day became a really painful reminder of what I didn’t have.”
Before commencing her long and, at times, painful journey into motherhood, Fleur says she had never realised that Mother’s Day could actually be a sad time for the people who no longer have their mums, women who have lost children, or women who are trying to become mums.
“It is a day to celebrate, but it is also a day to hold space for others that it is painful for.” – Fleur Madden
“I have had 7 pregnancies and only two live children. Those scars are buried deep and surface probably only once a year on Infant Loss Awareness Week when I think of who those 5 little angels could have been.”
Today at 40, Fleur is eternally grateful to be a mum to her two beautiful boys. Like her own mum, Fleur says her children are her greatest gift, and she adores seeing the world through their experiences now.
“I had Josiah a week before Mothers Day 2018 and that Mothers Day felt like a real victory for me – I was finally someone’s mum.” – Fleur Madden
If you are in need of support, reach out to one of these wonderful organisations – Motherless Daughters, Sands – miscarriage, stillbirth & newborn dealth support, Fertility Support Australia
One of Freelancing Gems missions is to help women redefine their 9 to 5 so they can manage (juggle) both family and a meaningful career. It’s something we are passionate about – that we still value our careers and the contributions we make to our industry after we become mums (funny that!).
Two working mums that know the juggle struggle are Monica and Lyn.
Monica and April
Monica is mum to April, our member manager, office all-rounder and Insta reels queen.
Raising April as a working single-mum was most definitely a juggle for Monica. She says it wasn’t always easy back then, but it’s also the most rewarding job in the world.
“The pride I feel every day when I see April blossoming into the strong woman she has become, is overwhelming.” – Monica Nicholls
For April, she says that growing up with her mum alone has given them the opportunity to not only form a strong mother-daughter bond, but a special friendship.
“My mum is my absolute best friend … there’s nothing I wouldn’t tell her and that’s been such a blessing in my life as it’s shown me what it’s like to be honest and open with another person. When I have children I hope that I can build that bond with them too.”
The lessons we learn from our mothers often form the foundation of so many elements on our own lives – our career ambitions, parenting styles (who else hears their mother come out of their own mouths?! “Wakey, wakey, up and at ‘em”), and relationship goals.
Aprils says that Monica taught her the value of hard work and resilience. “It was only her supporting us which showed me the value of work, and she has had to get through so many hurdles in her life, which has taught me to do the same thing when life gets tough.”
Lyn and Kirsty
Lyn is a mother of three, grandmother of one and Managing Director of a global health organisation. She is mum to our Marketing Director Kirsty Jackson and Nanny to little Harvey.
To Lyn, being a mother is part of who she is and a wonderful gift she hopes to never take for granted. “It’s very important to me that I’m there for my children and that I understand what’s going on in their lives and how I can support them, always, no matter their age or stage in life.”
Even as a busy working mum, Lyn always made the time for her three children, squeezing in time for dance concerts, school sports, weekend trips away and everything in between.
“As a parent now myself, I can appreciate my childhood so much more, and am in awe of what mum accomplished as a single-working-mother of 3 and in her role as a business leader.” – Kirsty Jackson
When asked about role models or inspiring leaders, Kirsty says her mum is always the first one to pop into her head. “She has taught me so much of what I now understand has shaped the life I have created for myself. From my passion for career growth, to parenting expectations, work ethic and empathy – I got it all from my mumma.
When reflecting on her early days of motherhood and now in her role as a grandmother, Lyn says she can see many similarities. She says, “it’s wonderful to be able to share these with my daughter as I watch my little grandson grow and develop.”
“What also hasn’t changed much is how busy your life becomes as a mother – nothing much has changed in that space – but I do feel that mum’s these days pay more attention to enjoying the journey, understand more about how to take care of themselves, their careers and their needs along the way.” – Lyn Davies
If you are a mum on a mission like us you may like to know more about Freelancing Gems here.
Sandy and Amanda
Sandy is a loving and devoted mother to our Partnerships Director Amanda and her older brother. Now retired with her husband, and both children over the age of 40, Sandy is still and always will be their greatest cheerleader, encouraging and supporting them at all times.
To Sandy, being a mother is everything.
“No one ever teaches us how to be a wonderful Mum, all we can do is try our best – love our children like no one else.” – Sandy Kelly
Sandy says that motherhood is a privilege which she didn’t quite understand from the start. “It is such a great joy, which fills your heart with pride and happiness.”
Amanda knows just how lucky she is to have found her family saying she is “super lucky to have gotten her as a mum.” And being a daughter in Amanda’s family is a pretty special position. “I come from a line of amazing and strong women, and I see this on both sides of my family.”
“As a daughter I was taught a lot of my life skills and business skills from my Mum and Dad and will be forever grateful for the opportunities they provided me growing up and still their enormous support to this day. Without them I would not be who I am or where I am today.”
Not only a daughter, Amanda is also a fur-mum to her Frenchie Ladybug – our super cute black and white office dog. “I love Lady as a fur baby, that is for sure!”
Lady travels literally everywhere with Amanda – out to dinner, the newstead cafe scene, to meetings, and the office. “She has even been to DJ’s and in a backpack to make sure she comes with me. To say she is my sidekick is an understatement!”
We recently saw this quote, “Sending love to everyone existing at the intersection of ambition and parenthood”. The timing was bang on and it really captures the internal struggle for so many working mums and exactly what we are trying to overcome at Freelancing Gems by providing flexible job opportunities to our members.
So if we can help you get your new contract, learn something new, level up your mindset or connect you with other women who are also striving ahead while juggling, we will be on our way to achieving our mission of helping women work on their own terms while making significant contributions in their careers, achieving their dreams and goals and living with purpose.
Let Mother’s Day also be a reminder to Australian employers to champion environments, policies and stereotypes that support the challenges mums at work face and the changing nature of flexible work.
We are so aware that while Mother’s Day is a celebration of all the different kinds of mums in our lives, it is also a time of sadness for some and so we hold space for those who have lost their mums, women who have lost children and women who are trying to become mums.
Remember, if you are in need of support, reach out to one of these wonderful organisations – Motherless Daughters, Sands – miscarriage, stillbirth & newborn dealth support, Fertility Support Australia
With love to all this Mothers Day.
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