BAMBI News July/August 2020
Dear BAMBI members,
Welcome to summer!
For me — and I guess for a lot of you, too — summer holidays are going to be quite different to what we had originally planned this year. Nevertheless, I hope you all have something to look forward to — perhaps a short break somewhere in Thailand, or maybe a bit of exploring in Bangkok itself. I hope to do a bit of both!
August will also see us celebrate Mother’s Day in Thailand. Although my family has already marked Mother’s Day in our home country this year, I think it’s nice to have a little celebration nonetheless! It also gives me pause to reflect on some of the things I’ve learned during my own motherhood journey so far.
Recently, I’ve realised that the fear you feel as a mum is like nothing else! We’ve all had big decisions to make over the last few months to make sure our families are safe and well. I have often found myself feeling very anxious about my kids’ health and well-being. Sometimes, it’s small things that you panic over, like a cut my son got on his hand that I was sure was going to end in a bad infection. And some nights, the fear and worry gets so much that you end up hiding in the bathroom and having a big ugly cry.
But after a night of sobbing into the dishes out of worry, I learned another important lesson about being a mum. I learned that I have so much support from my mama friends. These ladies - the ones who I met just after my daughter was born — are truly a lifeline for me. A quick Whatsapp message later and there they were — swooping in, hearing me, and picking me up again. Being part of a community of women who know exactly what you’re going through has been an unexpected and wonderful gift of motherhood for me.
Being a mama has also taught me that while it is incredible to be the world to small people in every way, I absolutely must have an outlet for myself. I remember feeling bogged down for a long time, to the point that the only identity I felt I had was ‘mum’. Being part of the BAMBI committee has been a great outlet for me. Getting to exercise my brain and engage in decision-making that can help other parents is both stimulating and rewarding. And the lovely people I work with call me ‘Liz’ and not ‘E’s mum’!
I wish you a very happy Thai Mother’s Day however you choose to spend it, and I do hope you celebrate yourself because you deserve it! I look forward to seeing you and your families after the summer break for more fun BAMBI activities.
Liz Pond
Database Coordinator