Monday, May 9, 2011

Many do not know about Mother’s Day

Jennifer Muiruri  |  NATION Twenty-nine-year old Irene Wambui with her 11-year-old son Daniel Mwathi during an interview with the Nation at Uhuru Park on May 08, 2011. They were not aware it was Mother’s Day.
Jennifer Muiruri | NATION Twenty-nine-year old Irene Wambui with her 11-year-old son Daniel Mwathi during an interview with the Nation at Uhuru Park on May 08, 2011. They were not aware it was Mother’s Day.
By JOY WANJA jwanja@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Sunday, May 8 2011 at 22:00

The day ended quietly and uneventfully for many families on Sunday. Many were not even aware it was Mother’s Day.
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One such family was that of Ms Irene Wambui, 29. Ms Wambui was unaware that the day set aside to celebrate motherhood globally was on Sunday.
For the single mother, taking her 11-year-old son to a recreation park — Uhuru Park — was a normal weekend activity that had nothing to do with the celebrations taking place in other countries, particularly of the west.
Mother’s Day is an annual special event that celebrates mothers, motherhood and their unique contribution to society.
Celebrate earlier
The majority of countries that celebrate Mother’s Day do so on the second Sunday of May though others opt to celebrate it earlier in April or later in June.
Ms Wambui’s joy yesterday was the fact that her 11-year-old son lights the jiko every day and warms a sufuria of bathing water before she arrives home for work. She is happy that her son can take up household chores that some of his peers can hardly perform.
On Sunday, she said: “When he turned 11, I thought it prudent to teach him a few household chores in case I was held up one evening.”
But she did not expect him to be warming water which has now become routine in this family of two from Korogocho.
Mother and son have Uhuru Park as their favourite leisure destination, and have a favourite spot under one of the trees by the artificial lake at the public park.
Ms Wambui says that not only does being a mother come with its challenges, it’s worse being a single one living in a city.
“Being a single mother is a tag that some people use to demean us, but it does not mean that we bring up our children any less than those with both parents,” she said.
“But bringing up a child all alone takes more sacrifice, a challenge I have readily taken up,” she adds.
Though he cannot cook yet, Ms Wambui says she intends to teach her son to become a responsible young man by not only imparting high moral values, but also teaching him grooming and other skills.
She is grateful to have Daniel Mwathi in her life despite life’s struggles. “I would do anything to protect my son,” she said when the Nation caught up with her at Uhuru Park on Sunday where she had taken her son for a weekend outing.
She could have opted to do her household chores but spending time with her son was more rewarding.
And for Daniel, hanging out with his mother marks some of the most poignant periods.
“When the Katiba was being signed, my mother brought me to this park to witness the start of the new Constitution,” says Daniel about the promulgation ceremony held at the historical park last year.
Asked about other places he would love to visit, the Animal Orphanage comes top in his list as he sits up to explain the marvel of the wild animals that he would like to see.
“I told him we would visit when I had enough money for the trip to the game park,” said his mother, who is a community health worker in Korogocho, and who also trains women in self-defence skills.
However, motherhood comes with its challenges, she says.

“Whenever he is sick even from a common cold, the house is dull and I spend most of the night and day monitoring his recovery so we can laugh and talk again,” his mother said.
As the pair relaxed that sunny afternoon, hand in hand, Daniel was wearing a smile that suggested it as the best day he had had so far.
“Asante Mama,” he said.

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