“Mumma, where are my socks?” “Aaj tiffin mein kya hai?” “Homework check kiya?”

If you’re an Indian mom, chances are you hear these questions before your morning chai even gets cold.

Somewhere between packing lunch boxes, remembering school circulars, folding laundry, and making sure everyone else is okay, many of us quietly stop asking ourselves one important question:

Who am I beyond being ‘Mumma’?

I love being a mother. Truly. But I’ve also realized something powerful — motherhood is a part of my identity, not the whole of it.

When ‘Mumma’ Became My Only Name

At school events, birthday parties, and apartment gatherings, people rarely call us by our names. We become “Aarav ki mummy,” “Anaya ki mom,” or simply “Mumma.”

There’s warmth in that, but one day I noticed I had stopped introducing myself as Sadvika first.

The woman who loved writing, storytelling, coffee dates, dreams, and creativity was still there — just hidden beneath endless responsibilities.

And I know I’m not the only desi mom who has felt this way.

The Guilt Indian Moms Carry

In many Indian homes, mothers are taught to put themselves last.

Want an hour to yourself? Guilt.

Want to start a blog or Instagram page? “Time milega kya?”

Want to pursue a dream? “Bacchon ka kya?”

But here’s the truth I’ve learned through motherhood: our children learn from our joy too.

They watch how we treat ourselves. They notice whether we believe our dreams matter. They learn confidence when they see their mother living with purpose.

How I Started Finding Myself Again

For me, the journey began with MomLifeAndLifestyle.com.

Not because I had everything figured out. Not because the house was perfectly clean. Definitely not because the kids suddenly became less demanding!

I started because I needed a space where my voice could exist again.

Through writing, creating reels, sharing real mom moments, and connecting with other women, I slowly remembered something important:

I am a mother. And I am also a woman with dreams, thoughts, talents, and a story worth sharing.

To Every Mom Reading This

If you’ve been waiting for the “right time” to start something, let me say this with all my heart:

The right time may never arrive wrapped in silence and free time.

Start anyway.

• Start the blog.
• Create the Instagram page.
• Take the online class.
• Read the book you’ve been postponing.
• Wear the outfit you’ve been saving for “someday.”
• Take the photo instead of hiding behind the camera.

Your dreams did not disappear the day you became a mother.

In fact, motherhood may have made you stronger, more patient, and more capable than ever before.

A Little Reminder From One Desi Mom to Another

You don’t have to choose between being a good mother and being yourself.

You can do both.

• Pack lunch boxes and build your dreams.
• Attend PTA meetings and grow your passion.
• Braid tiny ponytails and write your own story.

Because the best gift we can give our children is not a perfect home or a perfectly organized life.

It is showing them what it looks like when a woman loves her family deeply without forgetting herself.

And if you’ve forgotten your own name beneath the beautiful chaos of motherhood, consider this your gentle reminder:

You matter too, Mumma.

Your dreams matter. Your voice matters. Your identity still belongs to you.

With love,

Sadvika Kylash — Founder, MomLifeAndLifestyle.com

You can also read:

How Parents Can Inspire Their Kids by Not Giving Up on Their Passion

Women’s Day Special: The Real Strength Behind Every Mom’s Life