"It's the hardest work on God's earth - being a mother" - My mam would often say. She said it a
lot when I became a mom for the first time. And later - as my children grew, and the workload increased, she would add "... you have to have eyes in the back of your head..." to her repertoire. Meaning; you have to be ever diligent in watching your children. You have to always have an "eye" on them for the benefit of their health, safety, attitude and moral character. It didn't matter where you rustled up that "eye" You had to have it ready as a beacon (or alarm); a call for necessary appropriate action.
These are the people she needed eyes in the back of her head for:
Child Number One, Two and Three
Child Number Four
Child Number Five
I've found my Mam's words to be all truth. Mothering is never ending, and yes - it is exhausting. It is hard and sacrificial. And yet... it is the most blessed and life changing of all careers.