“Kailan ba matatapos ’to?”
I said this as I was holding my newborn daughter who just wouldn’t stop crying at 3 in the morning. I was running on little to no sleep, my hormones were all over the place, and I remember feeling so lost and exhausted. My husband was helpful and I was thankful—but I was the one breastfeeding, trying to stay sane and awake.
Then, in a snap of a finger, my daughter started eating solids. Before I knew it, she was crawling, walking, and talking. I kept thinking, “Okay, we’re getting the hang of this,” only to enter a new stage where we are completely novice.
It’s like that every stage—we survive one, grow a little, feel a bit more confident, then something new shows up to shake things again.
And so I always ask: does motherhood get any easier?
Mommy Creole, mom to 3-month-old James, has gone through what moms are very familiar with: the feeling of helplessness when everything is brand new. One moment you’re crying, and the next you’re giggling—completely exhausted, but in love. It’s the season of nonstop diaper changes, feeding by the clock, major adjustments, and of course, sleepless nights.
But as Mommy Creole and her husband navigate the newborn stage, they found themselves getting out of the dreaded first three weeks. Now her greatest joy in this season is watching her son discover the world and how fascinating it is to be part of this journey. A first time mom might think that the worst part is over, only to realize that it has all just begun.
Mommy Hanna, on the other hand, is now enjoying the infant stage, when her 6-month-old Gjianna is able to sit, crawl, and blabber. She definitely feels this stage is easier than the newborn phase as her baby is now more interactive and starting to discover many things, making it easier to know what she needs. This makes Hanna feel like she has already gotten past the adjustment period.
Then again, it’s not motherhood if it does not come with a new set of concern: and for her, it’s nutrition as her baby has started eating solids already. “It feels like a big responsibility, different from when she was fully dependent on breastfeeding,” she shares.
Just when moms think they have everything figured out, a new wave of worries from toddlerhood comes along.
Mommy Ria believes that this season is all about discovery and adjustment—both for her and her 2-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Gabriela.
Since Gabriela is now more expressive, Mommy Ria is learning how to adjust her daily routine as a work-from-home mom to meet her daughter’s growing needs. Since Gabriela can already identify that “work” is whenever her mom is in front of her laptop, she will sometimes pretend she’s “working” whenever she gets close to a laptop, which Mommy Ria finds both fascinating and heartbreaking.
“She’ll say, “Nanay, play tayo,” or “dance tayo”, and will even pull my hand so I will get out of my seat. I do my best to grant her request whenever I can, but there are times I just cannot do it right away so I need to explain I will play with her in a few minutes.” Mommy Ria shares, as a reminder for parents to be fully present whenever they can.
Kids in the preschool stage are clingy and cute, and that everything they do seems adorable. That’s exactly where Mommy Zsa-zsa is now; she feels that this season of motherhood is like a sweet spot—right between babyhood and the big kid phase. Her 5-year-old son, Zach, is becoming more independent and curious, always asking “what,” “how,” and “why,” which keeps her on her toes and often laughing.
Compared to earlier stages, she’s enjoying this one more as he’s now able to tell stories, show more independence, and really communicates what’s on his mind. Mommy Zsa-zsa finds it both exciting and heartbreaking how fast her little one grows! So she reminds moms:
According to moms, this is the stage when patience is needed the most, because it’s an era of big emotions and constant learning.
Mommy Shella defines this season as about being more of a friend to her teen and tween. With a 15-year-old son Quian, she’s learning to make the most of his limited sharing time, and with 10-year-old daughter Tatiana, it’s all about girl talk and identity building. What she loves most is how honest her kids are with her—like having real friends.
She thought she’d be teaching them, but she’s learning just as much, especially as a millennial mom who grew up in a boomer “work and save” household. She’s now adjusting to her Gen Z kids’ more “You Only Live Once” mindset. For her, this season is totally different from the previous ones, especially that her kids are very independent and starting to carve their own paths.
She said she’s still learning the ropes, but if there’s one thing she can advice at this point, it is “Be a friend first. Don’t push advice, don’t judge. Just listen and be there.”
Even when kids are already young adults, parenting never stops.
For Mommy Ace, a mom of two teens and a young adult, this season is all about learning the when to step in and when to step back.
Her biggest joy is seeing her boys make their own choices, take risks, and still open up to her when it matters. Those little moments when they share what’s on their minds are what she treasures the most. But like any stage, it’s not without its tough parts. For her, it’s holding back when they mess up, resisting the urge to control, and figuring out how to parent each one differently as they grow into their own person.
Mommy Divina was a stay-at-home mom who dove into motherhood at 19. She worked hard to make ends meet for her three kids, without making them feel they were missing out on anything. Her husband passed away in 2006, so it was just really her who stayed with her children. Now, Mommy Divina happily describes her current season.
She’s really soaking in this time—focusing on her hobbies, hanging out with friends, attending Zumba, dressing up, going to parties, and so much more. Of course there are times when she misses to be with all her children in one roof, but every day, she fills the family group chat with updates about what she did, what she wore, what she ate, and what she and her friends got up to.
I am one of Mommy Divina’s children. Every time I share my own struggles in motherhood, this is what she has to say: “Lilipas din ‘yan, ganyan talaga.” An empty nest is nothing to be afraid about, Mommy Divina shares. But this does not mean having an empty nest is the only time moms get to enjoy their motherhood.
As a mom to an almost 9-year-old, I can say I’m done with the physical tiredness—the sleepless nights, the endless feeding, and the constant worrying whether she is getting enough. Those days feel like so much behind me. I have more time for myself now. I can do things I couldn’t when she was little.
But can I say it’s easier now? Maybe yes, but only because I got used to it. I got better at it. The challenge now is managing my own emotions while my daughter is starting to figure out hers. And honestly, that’s a whole new kind of “tired”.
Looking back, I realize—we don’t really get over the hard parts. We just get stronger for what’s coming next. This makes motherhood a lot more meaningful.
In every season, love stays the same. We grow with our kids, we learn with them. Somehow, no matter how tiring, messy, or difficult motherhood gets, it’s always, always worth it.