Missing Your Mum? A Mother's Day Survival Guide - Juice 107.3

Missing Your Mum? A Mother’s Day Survival Guide

With millions of Aussies missing their mums this Mother's Day, it's important that we care for one another, acknowledging the loss.

By Juice 107.3 Network Saturday 4 May 2024RelationshipsReading Time: 3 minutes

Despite the flowers in stores and happy families posing for photos, Mother’s Day can be one of the most difficult times of year for those who – for many different reasons – aren’t able to celebrate their mum in the way they’d like to.
Key points
  • Millions of Australian men and women are without a mum this Mother’s Day.
  • “All feelings are ok and valid – just really nurture yourself during this time,” Danielle says to those who are missing their mum.
  • Danielle advises friends of those who are grieving to “listen without judgement or criticism and just offer a safe space where you can invite conversation from them.”

With millions of Australian men and women having lost their mother, and others missing their mum for different reasons, next Sunday is going to be tough for quite a lot of us.

Danielle Snelling, Co-Founder and Executive Officer at Motherless Daughters Australia chatted with Salt 106.5’s Jordana about how we can approach Mother’s Day this year, caring for our own hearts and for those around us who may have lost their mother.

“It is such a hard time for people who have lost their mum or who just don’t have a mum in their life at the moment for whatever reason,” Danielle said, having co-founded Motherless Daughters Australia after losing her own mum when she was just 23.

For those who are grieving

Danielle says that the most important thing a grieving daughter can do in the leadup to Mother’s Day is to reassure yourself that your feelings and responses are normal.

“There’s no right or wrong,” she said.

“All feelings are ok and valid – just really nurture yourself during this time.”

Nurturing yourself during this time may look like staying off social media, or limiting your exposure, while Mother’s Day happy snaps are going viral.

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“All feelings are ok and valid – just really nurture yourself during this time,” Danielle said.

Danielle also suggests surrounding yourself with people who are great listeners and who can help you acknowledge your loss, supporting you as you find ways to honour and celebrate your mum in a different kind of way.

Even doing something that your mum loved may be comforting, like making her favourite dish or watching her favourite movie.

For friends of those who are grieving

Danielle advises friends to be proactive in caring for a friend who is missing their mum this Mother’s Day. And a simple text message can be a great place to start.

“Send them a message to let them know that you’re thinking of them during what’s a really difficult time of year,” Danielle said.

“Don’t forget, just because she might have died, it doesn’t mean that she doesn’t exist or that she never existed.”

“Listen without judgement or criticism and just offer a safe space where you can invite conversation from them,” Danielle said.

It can be difficult to know what to say in moment like these, so Danielle offers the following message suggestions:

  • I’m thinking of you.
  • Are you free for a walk?
  • Would you like to talk about it?
  • I’d love to know what your mum’s name was.
  • Is there a memory that you’d like to share?

“Holding space for people who have lost their mum and inviting in conversation is really important,” she said.

“They want people to ask about it because when you start talking about your mum [who has passed away], people are often very uncomfortable… so we encourage everyone to invite conversation and hold space for that chat.”

Most importantly, Danielle says, is to simply “listen without judgement or criticism and just offer a safe space where you can invite conversation from them.”


Feature image: Photo by CanvaPro