Maid

I was raised by a single mum. My mum was a woman who worked tirelessly, loved her children wholeheartedly and battled many health issues. Money was incredibly tight and with three children she must have frequently felt frightened and frustrated. She did everything in her power to give her children the very best that she could. Sadly we lost our mum far too early, she passed away at just 60 years old. As a mum myself now, in thankfully, a much more privileged position than my mum was, I often wonder how on earth she managed. Stephanie Land’s book Maid is a sobering and thought provoking read, which moved me to tears. Not only is she a single mum who had to deal with an unimaginable amount of stress, she also had to deal with the ignorant way in which she was treated by others. It is hard to believe that somebody would judge and belittle a complete stranger in a supermarket because they were using food stamps, and yet this happened to her frequently. I believe that all mothers face challenges whether you’re stay at home, working or single and yes, at times, we all moan about our situations. Reading Maid has really made me take a really good look at my life and realise just how much I have to be grateful for. It has also made me think of the single mothers in my friendship group and I will certainly try to be more aware and respectful of their situations. Needless to say, I thought this was a brilliant book. I really hope that Stephanie Land continues to write other books, not only is she an exceptional mum she is also a very talented writer.