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The Many Faces of Motherhood
Honoring Elder Daughters, Pet Moms, and Every Woman Who Loves Unconditionally
On Mother’s Day, as I sipped my morning tea, my sister handed me a card. She’s 25, five years my junior, and a new mom balancing sleepless nights and endless love for her son. Yet, she found time to create something for me — a card, simple but beautiful, with words that stopped me in my tracks: “You were like a mother to me when I needed you most. I’m so proud of you, and I love you.”
Those words hit me hard. Growing up in South Asia, where family roles often blur, I was thrust into a mother-like role for my sister from a young age.
As the elder daughter, I was expected to guide, discipline, and protect her, even when I was still a child myself. Her card brought back memories some warm, others painful and made me see our bond in a new light.
A childhood of responsibility
Our home was filled with love but also with the weight of tradition. In many South Asian families, the eldest daughter becomes a second mother to her siblings.
By age 10, I was helping my sister with homework, braiding her hair, and making sure she ate her vegetables. By 15, I was scolding her for sneaking sweets or…
