With Mother’s Day just around the corner, many people will be planning their Sunday surprise; whether making mum a breakfast-in-bed, taking her out for a nice lunch, or making sure to order a bouquet of her favourite blooms from the florist.

But just as the saying goes that it ‘takes a village to raise a child’, some people may have grown up with multiple motherly figures in their life; and on the other hand, others may not have been lucky enough to grow up with their biological mother who brought them into this world.

Whether celebrating your actual mum who gave birth to you, or choosing to give thanks to another parental figure who brought you up and shaped you into the adult you are today, why not use this Mother’s Day to acknowledge and celebrate all the motherly figures in your life.

1. Aunts

As you get half your DNA from each parent, by logic, Aunts are automatically your second mum(s) by way of being your parent’s sibling. Also, the likely resemblance that both you and her share to your parent/her sibling just makes for an instinctive love cycle!

While many graphic t-shirts and mugs carry funny quotes about aunties being ‘fun’ and ‘letting you get away with more than your parents would’ – anyone who has ever grown up with an aunt would know that they are also ready to discipline us when needed, and are also there to comfort us in our times of need.

Surprise your aunt or aunts this Mother’s Day by telling them you love them, and that they were the best ‘second mum’ you could ever ask for!

2. Foster mums and Godmothers

Many Christians practice appointing Godparents for their baby, to act as proxies and assume parental roles in a child’s upbringing, especially in religious education. But the concept of foster parents is practiced by many cultures, including in Malaysia whereby many women in Malay communities assume the role of ‘mak angkat’ to children from other families such as children of family friends.

For those fortunate enough to be brought up by not just your parents but a loving community, whether or not an official title was actually used, there’s likely someone who immediately comes to mind when you think of your ‘foster mum’ or ‘mak angkat’.

This Mother’s Day, remember to take the opportunity to show appreciation to those who have loved you with such maternal instinct, related or not.

3. Grandmothers

It is likely your grandmother spent many hours holding you as a baby, and spent evenings rocking you to sleep. And while grandparents are usually the main choice whenever parents need a babysitter, most of the time your grandmother would have looked after you not because she had to, but because it made her so happy to do so.

While many Grandmas adopt the parenting style of ‘all the doting and with minimal strictness’, somehow we all still grew up to respect and adore our Grandmas, and to only have positive memories and feelings about all the times we spent with her.


4. The one who acted as your mother

Not everyone is lucky enough to grow up in a loving home with both parents, or to be brought up by their biological mother.

Whether it be your step-mum, your elder sister, a nanny, or anyone else who might have stepped into the role of mother in your life such as your father; Mother’s Day can be the perfect occasion to acknowledge the years of giving that you received from the ‘Mother’ and ultimate parent whose love made you feel whole again.

Checkout the wide selection of gifts, meals and flowers you can order for Mother’s Day on the GemSpot app, and plan the perfect Mother’s Day celebration for the queen of your heart!