Position Description: Mother
24/7 unpaid role | No annual leave | No superannuation
Key responsibilities include:
• Daily care duties: washing, feeding, dressing, and ensuring small humans leave the house somewhat presentable
• Grocery shopping and wardrobe management for ever-growing children
• Preparing three meals a day (plus snacks), seven days a week
• Transport coordinator: school runs, sports, weekend activities, and everything in between
• Balancing paid work or full-time home management
• Household organiser: budgets, schedules, appointments, and the invisible mental load
• Laundry services: washing, drying, folding, and occasionally ironing
• Cleaning supervisor: kitchens, bathrooms, floors — and sometimes the walls
• Conflict mediator and peacekeeper between siblings
• Rule-maker and boundary-setter (with the occasional “because I said so”)
• Home environment manager — including fresh air and a welcoming space
• On-call support, 24 hours a day
Essential criteria:
• Ability to love unconditionally, even when exhausted
• Patience, resilience, humour, and strength
• Multitasking at an elite level
In reality, this role combines the skills of a cook, nurse, teacher, counsellor, chauffeur, cleaner, event planner, financial manager, referee, and cheerleader — often all before lunchtime.
To the mums, mentors and memory keepers doing the job for no pay – this tribute is for you.
A maternal connection is often characterised as a blend of physical, emotional, and psychological care, a steady presence that nurtures, protects, and shapes lives. For many, that connection isn’t limited to biology. It can be found in a grandmother’s wisdom, an aunt’s quiet support, a father’s gentle guidance, or the unwavering care of foster and adoptive parents.
Mother’s Day is, at its heart, a chance to recognise anyone who steps into that role — those who give their time, energy, and love so freely to others.
For some women, motherhood becomes the centre of their world. In giving so much of themselves, they often set aside their own needs, their own identity, and even their own rest. It is a role that asks for everything — and then a little more.
Ways to celebrate locally this Mother’s Day:
Whether it’s a simple outing or something a little more special, there are plenty of ways to show appreciation:
• Old Bundy Tavern – Buffet breakfast from 8am, welcoming families of all sizes
• The Waves – A relaxed buffet breakfast option for adults and children
• The Pink House – Morning tea with sweet and savoury treats (bookings essential)
• Scarborough Bar – Mother’s Day Bottomless Brunch at Hervey Bay. A lively afternoon option by the water
For something extra special:
• Water Street Kitchen – A five-course dining experience for those wanting to truly spoil Mum
Celebrating early?
On Saturday, families can enjoy a Mother’s Day Indoor Picnic Movie at Funny Bunnies Soft Play Centre, complete with family films, a mini-market, and a photo booth — a rare chance for mums to step in front of the camera.
Sometimes, the most meaningful gestures aren’t found in restaurants or events. A handwritten card, a homemade gift, a bunch of handpicked flowers, or simply time spent together can mean just as much — if not more.
And while this day is joyful for many, it can also be deeply difficult for others. For those who have lost their mothers, who long to be mothers, or who carry complex relationships, Mother’s Day can bring a quiet ache. To those in our community experiencing grief or absence — you are not forgotten.
However you mark the day — with celebration, reflection, or remembrance — may it be filled with kindness, connection, and care.
Chitchat Newspaper – May 2026