“I thought motherhood meant ruling the world… turns out it’s more like surviving a toddler dictatorship.” Back then, becoming a mom sounded like the ultimate life upgrade. Whenever someone asked about my dream profession during my childhood, I replied that I wanted to be a mommy when I grew up. I genuinely believed that moms got to rule the world: say whatever they want, sleep whenever they want, and relax whenever they want. Basically, no school, no homework, no mental trauma, and no peer pressure to fit in with your friends. Contrary to my expectations, now with my toddler, shouting…

Never did I ever imagine that, for one person, you would be their entire world. Whenever I travelled with my mother as a child, I felt so confident, so secure—holding her hand, looking into her eyes, trusting her completely. But today, as a mother who has recently suffered from vertigo, I realise how hard it truly is to be someone’s world. Making sure your child has a smile throughout the journey puts you under a quiet pressure. A pressure no one really sees. I never imagined what my mother must have felt managing three kids all by herself while travelling—being…