Mother’s Day is Complicated

Mother’s Day is complicated.

All week, I’ve listened to the ads and deleted an endless stream of promo emails — bedding, perfume, candles, magazine subscriptions, tech gifts “for Mum.” Honestly? I’ve had enough.

I do get to celebrate Mother’s Day — and I’m hugely grateful for that. But I’ve also lost my mum. And I miss Abi. So yes, it’s tough. And I know I’m not the only one who finds this weekend stirs up a storm of emotion.

Mother’s Day can feel like a lot — especially when your experience of mothering doesn’t match the shiny, sentimental version being flung at us from every direction.

Not everyone has a mum.
Not everyone can be a mum.
Not everyone has the kind of relationship they longed for — with their mum, or with their children.

And in a world that still struggles to talk openly about grief, infertility, estrangement, or loss, days like this can feel especially cruel.

We scroll through curated captions.
We see the lucky ones — burnt toast in bed, bunches of flowers, homemade cards — and quietly ache for what we don’t have.
A family brunch. A child’s hug. A mum to ring.

For some, it’s fresh grief. For others, it’s been decades. For many, it’s just… complicated.

Research suggests that one in four families in the UK and US are now experiencing some form of estrangement. That’s a staggering number — and a powerful reminder that we need to tread gently through days like this. Especially in workplaces.

So no, I’m not saying don’t share your joy.
Please do — revel in your plans, your people, your pride.
Just maybe… don’t shout it from the rooftops.
And spare a thought for the many who are feeling their way through this weekend with quiet strength, tender grief, or longing for relationships they’ve lost — or never had.

If this weekend is hard for you, I see you.
You are not alone.
You’re not broken.
You’re human.

Motherhood, like so much in life, isn’t one-size-fits-all. And neither is the way we feel about days like this.