Man of the House

Lately, I’ve been feeling so worn out. Since November, my health has been up and down, and the lethargy is no joke eh. Between the work stress and managing the endless school run for 4 boys, there are days I feel like I’m just one step away from a total meltdown. As usual.

Being a working mom with five kids and zero "back-up" is a heavy load. Sometimes, it really feels like I’m fighting this battle all by myself.

But this morning, something happened that made me stop and catch my breath.

I reached home feeling beyond exhausted—no mood to cook, no energy to even talk. I was completely kaput and accidentally fell asleep until morning. When I finally checked my phone, I saw a WhatsApp thread from my boys.

Iman messaged me, asking, "Ibu ok tak?". He didn’t just ask; he actually went and boiled hot water for me to take a warm bath. He even followed up to make sure I knew it was ready.

Looking at those messages, I felt this huge wave of pride. My boys are class monitors and prefects at school, but seeing them take charge at home to care for their "penat" mom? That is the real success story. It’s proof that I am raising them right. 🥹

I might be hitting 40 and feeling like my battery is at 1%, but seeing the empathy in my kids gives me that second wind. I’m not doing this alone anymore. I’ve raised my own "support system".

So, to all the tired moms out there: keep going. The seeds you’re planting today—the manners, the kindness, the "tolong-menolong"—they will bloom exactly when you need them the most.