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Why Mother’s Day hits differently for single mothers
10th May, 2026 06:31 AM
As families across Kenya celebrate Mother’s Day with flowers, phone calls, church outings and social media tributes, the day often carries mixed emotions for single mothers.
For many women raising children alone, Mother’s Day is not just about appreciation. It is also a reminder of sacrifice, silent struggles and the pressure of carrying an entire family on their shoulders.
While some mothers wake up to breakfast in bed and gifts from partners, many single mothers spend the day doing what they always do: budgeting, cooking, worrying about school fees and making sure their children are okay.
Yet despite the challenges, they continue showing up every single day.
In many Kenyan homes, single mothers have become both providers and nurturers.
They attend school meetings alone, stay awake with sick children at night and still wake up early to hustle for rent and food. Some run small businesses, others work long shifts, while many juggle multiple jobs just to keep their families afloat.
Why Mother’s Day hit differently
For them, Mother’s Day can feel emotional because there is rarely someone asking, “How are you coping?”
Some single mothers say the day brings loneliness, especially when social media is flooded with perfect family photos and expensive surprises.
Others quietly remember relationships that failed, absent fathers or dreams they had to put aside while raising children alone.
But beyond the emotional side, the day also becomes a moment of pride.
There is something deeply powerful about a woman looking at her children and realising that, despite every hardship, they are growing, smiling and surviving because she refused to give up.
Single motherhood
Across Kenya, many successful people today were raised by single mothers who sacrificed everything to educate and protect them.
Some mothers sold vegetables, washed clothes for neighbours or woke up before dawn to catch matatus to work, all so their children could have a better future.
Their love is often not loud or glamorous. It is found in packed lunch boxes, unpaid personal dreams, tired eyes and constant prayers for their children.
This Mother’s Day, single mothers deserve more than sympathy. They deserve recognition.
Not because they are perfect, but because many have carried responsibilities that would overwhelm two parents and still managed to create homes filled with love.
For many single mothers, today may not come with expensive gifts or public celebrations. But sometimes the greatest reward is hearing a child say, “Thank you, Mum.”
And for many of them, that alone is enough to keep going.
