Because Mums make the world go round – Happy Mother’s Day!

Because what we do at Saturday Kids centers around kids, we know how important Mums are to running (much of) the world! Not only does our work involve empathising with and building an informal community of Mums (and Dads), our team is also fuelled largely by the superpowers of working mothers – kickass individuals in their own right, but whose skills and perspectives are further enriched by their own experience of raising kids.

Working mothers aren’t given the credit they deserve for all that they bring to the workplace by dint of their parenting experience  – this satirical job description from the New York Times just scratches the surface of the value that mothers bring to a team.

At Saturday Kids, we’re thankful for our all-star team of Mums who further our mission to make kids curious self-directed learners; this Mother’s Day we’d love for you to meet them, and for you to show some love to the mothers and mother figures in your life and at the workplace.

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Beyond her role as a Rocket Launcher (AKA curriculum developer) at Saturday Kids, Huda also helps to run the Codette Project which creates access for minority women to opportunities in tech.

(Check out her blogpost about why we should care about getting more girls in tech!)

Trust and treat a child as a person, not just a child.

What’s your superpower?

Having Cephalopod limbs (AKA octopus tentacles) because I have to do 3000 things in a day.

What do most people not know about being a mother?

One can never be ready to be a Mom.

 What have you learned from your kid?

To trust and treat a child as a person, not just a child, which in turn requires you to respect them. And… I never knew how much patience I’d need to raise a child.

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Besides supporting Saturday Kids’ financial operations, Maryanne is also a full-time lawyer and mother of five.

You just can’t give up. And you won’t.

What’s your superpower?

Bullet-journaling!

What do you think most people don’t know about being a mother?

It’s a lifelong commitment. It’s a job you can’t quit no matter how difficult it gets or how difficult the kids get. You just can’t give up. And you won’t.

What’s something you’ve learned from your kids?

Bad jokes. And some good ones…
Latest joke: What do sea monsters like to eat? Answer: Fish and ships.

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Nadiah assists classroom operations at Saturday Kids, ensuring that all classes run smoothly and without a hitch. She’s also a proud Mum to 3 kids ages 16, 13, and 3.

Although I have gone through a hard life all my years I’m still going on strong today as a single Mum.

What’s your superpower?

My superpower is that I am a strong and independent mom – although I have gone through a hard life all my years, I’m still going on strong today as a single Mum. I’m a strict mother, but I still try to blend in with my 16 year old daughter and at times am a Mum, sister, and friend to her when she needs advice and faces problems.

What do you think most people don’t know about being a mother?

Some people think being a Mum is easy. It’s definitely not because it’s just the start of bringing up your kids, whether you have a partner or you’re single. There’s both happiness as well as burdens to go through.

What’s something you’ve learned from your kid(s)?

I’ve learned that I can’t be too harsh on them if I want them to listen, and that meting out punishments doesn’t resolve issues and isn’t the way to handle things. I’ve learned to coach and guide them when they need help in uncertain matters.

Most importantly, my kids want to feel care and concern for their well-being so they feel welcome to ask me anything regarding matters of life.

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A mum to 2 twin girls, Nicole heads Marketing at Saturday Kids and pursues her passion and talent for visual storytelling in her free time (what’s left of it).

I didn’t realise I have the capacity to love SO FREAKIN’ MUCH.

What’s your superpower?

I am the only one in the family who can easily tell my (fairly identical) twins apart even without looking at their faces! No kidding 🙂

What do you think most people don’t know about being a mother?

For me, I didn’t realise that I have the capacity to give and love SO FREAKIN’ MUCH even on a lousy day, perhaps especially on a lousy day – until these two came along.

What’s something you’ve learned from your kids?

Never take no for an answer the first time around.

Plus – EVERYTHING IS INTERESTING.

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An investment banker in her previous life, Sam heads International Programmes in Japan while being a dedicated Mum to 3 kids ages 5, 3 and 1!

My superpower is living with my heart outside my body.

What’s your superpower?

There is a quote that says having a child is to “forever have your heart go walking outside your body”. So yeah, my superpower is living with my heart outside my body.

What do you think most people don’t know about being a mother?

That most of the time you’re just trying your best to fake being a responsible adult. That chocolate I told you not to eat off the floor? I’m totally eating it as soon as your back is turned… Mommy has a very important conference call and cannot be disturbed? I’m hiding in the bedroom binging on Crunchyroll. Shhh…

What’s something you’ve learned from your kids?

That every day has something worth celebrating.

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Yulin leads our social impact team, running creative coding projects to close the digital literacy gap – including Google-sponsored initiative Code in the Community and Coding Cats in Cambodia – and is a mother to Leon & Isabel, ages 10 & 8!

“Where’s my…?” “Study table, second drawer, blue box.” “How did…?” “Cos I’m your Mum.”

What’s your superpower?

The power of preemption. Preempting quibbles from escalating into full-blown fights. Preempting bouts of ‘h-anger’. Preempting questions – “Where’s my….?” “Study table, second drawer, blue box” “how did…?” “Cos I’m your mum”.

What do you think most people don’t know about being a mother?

The strangest things you worry about, starting from the day they are born.

What’s something you’ve learned from your kids?

Appreciate nature. We take it for granted when we grow up. Until your child points out an oddly-growing tree, the way raindrops meander down a window, the papery skin discarded by an outgrowing insect.

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To the Mums from our Saturday Kids tribe and beyond, happy Mother’s Day! Here’s a reminder to give the mothers we know and love the credit they’re due, today and every day. ♥