Motherhood is often celebrated loudly on social media, with organizations praising mothers for their strength, sacrifice, and resilience. Flowers are handed out and speeches are made, but behind those celebrations lies a difficult truth that many working mothers silently carry.

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Across many workplaces, mothers are expected to perform as though they are not raising children, while simultaneously expected to mother as though they do not work.

This is my story. I have paid the price of motherhood. No woman should.

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I am a mother of two. I gave birth to my first son eight years ago while I was still a university student. At the time, instead of receiving support and encouragement, I was judged, called careless, and treated as though I had ruined my future. People questioned my morals, seriousness, and ambitions. Yet despite the criticism, I persisted and earned my degree.

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At a young age, I learned that society can be unforgiving to women who become mothers before others believe they should. I believed that once I established a career, built a family, and followed the "right” path, motherhood would no longer be viewed as a weakness.

I was wrong.

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Eight months ago, my second son was born. I assumed that my professional performance, expertise, and maturity would matter more than my motherhood. Instead, I realized that in many organizations, motherhood is viewed as an inconvenience.

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After maternity leave, I returned to work determined to continue giving my best. However, like many working mothers, I struggled to find reliable childcare. My situation was even more complicated because I do not live in my home country. Beyond the normal fears every mother has about leaving her child with someone else, I also had to navigate language barriers, cultural differences, and the subtle realities foreigners often face when trying to build support systems.

Still, I tried.

Everything was functioning smoothly until one morning when my caregiver failed to report to work. Suddenly, I was left with no one to care for my son. I immediately informed my supervisors about the emergency and requested patience as I worked to resolve the situation, but I received no response.

For three days, my caregiver remained absent. During that time, I continued handling assignments remotely while caring for my baby, managing household responsibilities, and searching for an alternative caregiver. I did everything possible to remain accountable to my work. Eventually, I secured another caregiver and returned to the office, hoping for understanding.

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Instead, I was called into a meeting and told that the organization could no longer accommodate my schedule or my "problems with maids.” I was asked to hand over my responsibilities because my replacement had already been found.

I lost my job without warning, without any attempt to hear my side, and without acknowledgment of my commitment and sacrifice. My crime was being a mother caught in an emergency beyond my control.

What hurt most was not just losing my employment, but realizing how quickly motherhood can make women professionally vulnerable. Many working mothers are viewed as unreliable the moment they need flexibility or understanding.

Yet motherhood does not erase competence, professionalism, intelligence, or dedication. If anything, it strengthens resilience, adaptability, endurance, and problem-solving skills.

As we celebrate Mother’s Day, we must ask ourselves whether workplaces truly support women balancing careers and motherhood, or quietly punish them for trying to have both.

Motherhood should never be treated as a professional weakness. It is one of the greatest acts of responsibility, sacrifice, and strength.

Let us not fail mothers. Let us support them.

Happy Mother’s Day.

The writer is an educator and mother advocating for mothers balancing careers and family life.