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When you become a mum, you are enveloped by an amazing and often overwhelming love. Everything your brand new perfect little human does captures your undivided attention, to the point where you think you’ll never even watch television or read a book again; I mean, why would you? At this stage, you probably think that being a mum is the best.

You have all the entertainment you’ll ever need right there in front of you, in perfect miniature form. Your love for this child, your child, fills you with an intense sense of joy, pride and overall gratefulness. And over time, as your child grows, that love by no means fades but the sheer awe of their existence can become, well, less intense.

As the years whizz by, in between the highs and lows of the all encompassing role of parenting, you find that your adoration and pride usually comes in surges, in the quiet moments when you have time to reflect. And, if you’re anything like me, those surges will be balanced out by a series of ‘WTF’ and ‘I don’t know if I can cope with much more of this mayhem!’ moments too.

To that end, here are 10 reasons why being a mum is the best; because let’s face it, when you’re in the midst of asking your darling offspring for the 15th time, through gritted teeth, to finish their homework, or you have just undeservedly been on the receiving end of a thunderous tantrum, it can be easy to forget just how awesome this job really is!

The unconditional love

It pretty much doesn’t matter what you do or say, your child will always love you.  You are, and forever will be, their first love. No matter your flaws, they will always look up to you and a part of them will always crave your approval.  No matter what mistakes you make, no matter how many times you disagree, and even during times where they may not like you (!) they will still wholeheartedly and unconditionally love you. 

On the flip side, the love you have for them is, in my experience, the strongest love someone can ever feel for another person.  I’ll never forget the first time my husband and I hesitantly dared to admit aloud that, despite being deeply in love with one another, when it comes to our children, nothing compares. 

They come first.  The love we feel as parents supersedes everything.  After we had both uttered the words we laughed out loud, a little relieved to hear each other agree. It’s only natural! And it’s amazing! And even if there was no other points on this list, this one would be enough to make it all worth it.

New appreciation for life

During the first few days and months with a newborn, you find you have a new appreciation for life in general.  As you stare at your tiny baby you are filled with sheer awe at the miracle of life.  The tiny fingernails and toes, the amazing progress they make in their first year of life, your new addition gives you a fresh outlook on life.  As your child grows, this becomes more subtle, but still exists. You may not  even really notice the added value you place on certain aspects of life, after becoming a parent. 

An obvious one for me was the first time I was at a theme park after becoming a mum.  An avid rollercoaster fan, I suddenly found myself hesitant…acutely aware of the risk and possible dangers involved.  Another common one is flying; something I wouldn’t have thought twice about previously became something to worry about.  Now that I am a mum, I am all too aware of the dangers around me-perhaps because I now don’t feel like I ‘have nothing to lose’.

A friend for life

As a parent, your job is to protect and guide your child, teach them right from wrong and mould them into caring and independent individuals. So whilst they shouldn’t be your ‘bestie’ who you turn to to solve all your problems, if you spend regular quality time with your child and build up a trusting relationship with them, you may be lucky enough to develop a friendship that lasts into adulthood.

Constant life lessons

Some of my most memorable teachable moments have come as a result of being a mum.  ‘Out of the mouths of babes’; I often chuckle when my son delivers a life lesson to me, in his own unique and matter of fact manner. 

But the bottom line is he does teach me.  A lot.  My perspective on many issues has been altered, for the better, as a result of his simplified view on life.  Just the other day, my son asked me what was wrong; I hadn’t vocalised that I was unhappy, he must have sensed it (aren’t children so intuitive?!).  I told him that I was feeling anxious about something, but that it wasn’t anything he had to worry about. His reply? ‘Well Mummy, you don’t have to worry because worrying won’t help! Just do something fun so that you don’t think about it!’. Simple.  And actually quite helpful.

Inspiration

Becoming a parent can inspire you to become a better person. I personally have found that becoming a mum has led to more awareness of my actions and attitudes; it has encouraged me to be the best I can be, in order to be a positive role model for my children. 

Entry to club parenthood can also inspire you to work towards achieving life goals which you may have lost focus on, or put on the back burner.  As well as being ambitious for your child’s future, chasing your own personal goals can set a valuable example to your children: demonstrating to them that by working hard and dedicating themselves, they too can achieve their goals.

Discovering a new side to yourself

Becoming a mum not only shows you how deeply you can love another person but can help you to explore a deeper sense of self, can build your self-confidence and can help you to realise where your true priorities lie.

Stronger bonds with family members

The addition of a new mini family member can place some strain on your relationships with relatives, but it also has the potential to strengthen those bonds.  In my experience, having my first child was a brilliant opportunity to get in touch with my in-laws more often.  Sharing stories of milestones and bonding over our shared love of the newest addition to the family gave me the excuse I needed to pick up the phone more often and strengthen our relationship.

Healthier you

Much of your job as a mum is to lead by example (as hard as it can be!). Although it can be a challenge, teaching your children how to look after themselves, eat healthily and exercise regularly can encourage you yourself to foster healthier habits too, which in turn can lead you to better overall health and wellbeing.

Friendships

Making new mummy friends at baby classes or soft play, or bonding with existing friends who also have children, can help soften the blow during the more difficult parenting moments – and give you someone to share the funny moments with! Knowing that you’re all in this together and going through similar challenges can be comforting, especially when the going gets tough.

Comedy factor

Children can be comedy gold.  One of the best things about being a mum is that you are almost guaranteed to get a good laugh.  At times you will find yourself splitting your sides with some of the one liners your child utters, or when you pause to realise the words that you have just found yourself saying!

Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would ever be calling out the phrase, ‘NO! Do NOT bite the bin!’ (facepalm).  So the next time something hilarious (or downright ridiculous!) happens, take a minute to enjoy a hearty chuckle – you have earned the comic relief!

And now that some of the ‘perks of the job’ have been highlighted, I’m hopeful that you can relate and that this has served as a reminder that, despite the challenges, being a mum is the best job in the world!

Do you have anything else you would add to this list of why being a mum is the best? Why not let us know in the comments section below?