What’s the most important factor in your child’s development? Happy Māmā!
Clinical Psychologist Jacqui Maguire outlines maternal mental health as the primary indicator of child developmental outcomes. (Maguire, 2022).
That’s a massive statement, and one we should all take seriously. It means that as a Mother, your happiness is more important to your child/children’s wellbeing than your income, relationship status, education, and any number of other factors.
With Mothers Day just around the corner, we think this is a great time to take stock of how each of us contributes to the wellbeing of the mums we know and love. As fathers, sisters, grandmothers, brothers, lovers, friends, doctors, and even mental health and family support agencies like us, are we doing enough take care of the most precious taonga in a child’s life?
According to recent research by the Helen Clark Foundation the answer is no. The research reveals that the leading cause of death for mothers is suicide, with suicide rates for mothers in New Zealand being 7x higher than in the UK! This tells us that while our maternal health system is great at keeping bodies alive during birth, it is not so great at providing post-partum care and support at the most vulnerable and demanding time of any parent’s life.
Here in North-West Rodney, we have a proud tradition of caring deeply for our mothers. The Helensville Birthing Centre is famous for the level of care and support its guests receive. Parent Aid North West reach out with compassion and kindness to every new mum who asks for support. Here at Kindred Family Services, we place the highest possible importance on nurturing mothers, and we are always looking for new ways to meet the needs of our community. Not to mention the many other services, groups, and people working in this space.
Together we can make North-West Rodney a place where mothers feel safe, supported, and loved.
If you would like to support our work, please consider becoming one of our 100 founding Kindred Spirits by committing to a regular monthly donation.
