One of the titles I wear with the most pride is “Mom.”
This year, Vaishali started Grade R, and with that came a whole new world—new routines, new little personalities… and a whole new circle of moms. As she’s begun integrating with the “big kids,” I’ve found myself meeting more and more women, each with their own unique style of motherhood.
It took me back to a memory from when she was just a baby—sitting in the car, scrolling through Instagram, laughing at those “types of moms” videos. You know the ones… the crunchy mom, the laid-back mom, the super-organised mom. I remember wondering back then: Which one am I?
Well… I have my answer now.
After a lot of laughter (and a little bit of chaos), I’ve realised—I’m that mom.
The one who pre-plans everything.
The one who goes slightly (okay, very) over the top for even the smallest occasions.
The one who somehow has 55 tabs open in her brain at all times… and still manages to pull it all together.
Of course, there are exceptions. When I’m sick, all bets are off—I become the “bare minimum mom,” running the household via WhatsApp messages and pure survival mode. But that’s a story for another day.
Last week really sealed it for me.
It was the final stretch of the school term, and suddenly everything was happening at once—Vaishali’s horse-riding instructor had a birthday, her Grade R teacher’s birthday was coming up over the holidays, and then there was the Easter egg hunt at school (which I had to contribute to, obviously).
Cue the chaos: cupcakes being baked, gifts being organised, balloons being fought with (never again, honestly), carrots packed for the horses, Easter treats sorted… and coordinating collections from parents for group gifts.
It was a lot.
And yet… it’s so me.
I’ve come to accept that I am that “sunshine and rainbows” mom—the one who looks like she has it all together, always cheerful, always showing up, always doing the extra thing. And you know what? I receive that with open hands, because it’s a blessing to be able to show up this way.
But it also got me thinking…
Every version of motherhood gets judged. The “extra” mom. The relaxed mom. The working mom. The stay-at-home mom. Somehow, every version gets picked apart.
And today, I’ve decided—I’m owning mine.
Because the truth is, this version of me wasn’t always the plan.
For most of my life, I was certain I didn’t want children. Until one random day in 2020, when I looked at my husband of five years and said, completely out of the blue, “I think we should get a cot… I think we should have a baby.”
Just like that.
A month later, I was pregnant.
My original plan? Full-time help, minimal disruption to my career, maybe two weeks off after the baby—and then straight back to business.
But the moment they placed her on my chest, everything changed.
I didn’t want help the way I thought I would.
I didn’t want my old pace of life.
I didn’t want to miss a single moment.
Motherhood unfolded in a way I could never have imagined—and I embraced it fully.
I had Vaishali at 35. Some people might call that late, others might say it’s perfect timing. For me, it felt just right (even if my body occasionally disagrees!).
And when she started at the same school I once attended, it felt like life had come full circle.
Now, I get to watch her little face light up with pride when I walk into school with cupcakes, or help organise something special, or simply show up as her mom—the extra one, the available one, the “yes-let’s-do-it” mom.
The mom who says yes to spontaneous picnics after school.
The mom who volunteers for face painting at fundraisers.
The mom who bakes cupcakes for every occasion.
The mom who leans all the way into this season.
And I can honestly say—I am loving it.
So why should I downplay that joy?
To all the moms out there living this beautifully chaotic, all-in version of motherhood—I see you. And I think you are incredible.
And to the moms who wish they could show up this way but can’t, for whatever reason—I see you too. You are just as phenomenal.
Lean on us. Truly.
Because moms like me? We love this stuff. And if we can make your journey even a little bit easier, it brings us just as much joy.
Love and Light
Suvarna
Founder|The Desi Closet SA
Here is a super special image ... I was so determined to get The Desi Closet stable that when my daughter was two years and three months old, I left at home with my husband and took a trip to India to hand clear up some import issues, set up a solid team on the ground, and to bring back special orders for my clients who where scrambling around with the massive customs backlog. This image was the on the day I got back... for reference - up until this trip to India, I never left my daughter ever!
This is one of my favorite moments that I will never forget!
