As today is Mother's day, I find myself pausing to think about what this time means to women

like me, mothers who are also educators. I wear two hats every day: I’m a Headmistress by

profession and a mother of two at heart. While many see these months away from school as a

long holiday, for us teacher-moms, they bring a different rhythm; still full, just in a new way.

Yes, the quieter afternoons and the occasional nap are a welcome change from the whirlwind of

the academic year. But more than rest, this season is about switching roles, from leading

students in classrooms to being more present and involved at home.

Our mornings still begin early. But instead of rushing out in a neatly draped saree with my ID

card in hand, I’m in the kitchen flipping dosas or stirring up poha—sometimes treating the family

to hot parathas on weekends. Once breakfast is done, we settle into homework mode. Helping

my own children with their assignments can be a tightrope walk: the teacher in me wants it all

done just right, but the mother in me wants them to take their time and enjoy the learning.

Household chores become family time. The kids pitch in, sweeping floors, wiping surfaces, even

helping with cutting vegetables. It’s in these small tasks that they pick up life skills no textbook

teaches. This is also when I finally tackle the deep cleaning that’s been on pause all year. And

of course, it’s pickle-making time. I follow the recipes my mother passed down, spicy mango or

tangy tomato, their fragrance soaking into our home like a memory.

It’s not all tasks and checklists, though. I make space to read newspapers with my morning tea,

novels during the slower afternoons. I visit my mother, chat with my siblings, and welcome

surprise visits from cousins. These moments nourish something in me that no job title can touch.

Being a mother is a full-time commitment. Being a teacher is too. Living both roles at once

means juggling timetables and tiffin boxes, lesson plans and laundry piles, but also giving and

receiving love in the most meaningful ways.

This Mother’s Day, as we honour women everywhere who nurture and guide, I want to celebrate

the teacher-moms like myself. Even outside our classrooms, we’re still shaping minds with love,

patience, and a deep reservoir of multitasking magic. Here’s to all of us.