Work(ing) from Home
As captains of homes, stay-at-home mums play a vital but often underappreciated role. Ameera Binsemait, founder of Everydaymama.co, is changing that.
Written by Jayden Tan
Photos by Glomunite and LittleBlossom.co
Beneath every gleaming, freshly mopped floor lies an overworked mother, meticulously navigating the treacherous minefield of scattered Legos.
Meet an unsung hero behind the scenes – Ameera Binsemait, a 35-year-old stay-at-home mum (SAHM) since 2019 and founder of Everydaymama.co, a community platform to empower mums like herself.
“When I had my first daughter in 2019, I realised how lonely it was to be a SAHM,” shares Ameera, a mum of two daughters, Nour, four, and Hana, one.
It was around that time when the Covid-19 pandemic emerged, thrusting Ameera into a life of isolation from the outside world.
“After so many years in a social setting where I was working and schooling, staying alone at home with an infant, who is not the best companion sometimes, was the biggest change for me.”
Before committing to her “full-time job” as a SAHM, Ameera had spent over eight years in the working force. At age 19, she graduated from Nanyang Polytechnic’s Diploma in Visual Communications before working in graphic design, both as a freelancer and at a design firm for about two years.
By 22, Ameera secured a career with a government agency while pursuing her Bachelor’s degree. She graduated at 26 and continued her position at the agency.
The young adult was a go-getter, firing on all cylinders. But priorities shifted, quite naturally, after she got married at 27 and embarked on motherhood a year later. Following her pregnancy, Ameera decided to take what she calls “a permanent maternity leave from work”
“I got married. I went to Greece for my honeymoon. I bought my own house. I did everything already. So, the next step is now parenthood,”
However, Ameera’s decision to resign was not without criticism. Her parents and in-laws expected her to pursue a stable career, and they certainly didn’t mince words when airing their grievances.
She recalls comments like, “Why are you wasting your time?” or “This is the end of your life already.” While these words stung, Ameera stood her ground.
“I realised it's not my job to change their minds. I just do what I want to do and eventually, their belief will come,” says Ameera.
Being a SAHM is far from the relaxed life some people imagine it to be. It's a duty that saps the bones of strength, a fact that Ameera can attest to. As early as 6:30am, she is already knee-deep in household chores. She prepares Nour for school, then feeds Hana, does the laundry, prepares lunch, and the list goes on.
Sometime around 8pm, she can finally rest after an entire day of slogging away, at least until Hana stirs and cries, which roughly happens four times each night. Before she knows it, it's 6:30 am, and the cycle repeats itself.
“We should reconsider the term ‘SAHM’,” suggests Ameera. She explains, “If you ask me, ‘stay’ is the one thing I can’t do. I can’t stay on the sofa. The moment I sit down, somebody calls me and I have to stand back up. I can’t stay in bed. I can’t stay anywhere.”
Chores aside, financial concerns add another strain. Sacrificing her nine-to-five job also meant giving up the luxury of splurging on herself, and she admits to missing that monthly paycheck.
Yet, no matter how undervaluing, Ameera wouldn’t trade her life as a SAHM for anything.
“There is a risk of losing your self-identity. Because, the overall nature of being a SAHM is giving,” explains Ameera, “but I get to see my kids take their first step. I get to be there for their first meal, and I can’t get back these kinds of things.”
To chronicle her journey as a SAHM, Ameera started blogging and, in 2021, launched Everydaymama.co.
Empowering SAHMs with valuable advice and fostering connections through activities such as mum-and-child yoga, Ameera finds fulfilment in the camaraderie that blossoms at these events. One day, she envisions a better, more supportive perspective of SAHMs, one that appreciates their invaluable contributions.
Ameera speaking at an event organised for mothers in collaboration with Littleblossom.co.
