On the 5th of December it was International Volunteer Day. What a great opportunity to thank all the SuperMamas who donate their time to make all this possible and keep the concept alive.
I am often asked why the SuperMamas continue to grow, but especially why so many HelpingMamas register and donate their time.
Why actually? What motivates these mothers from all backgrounds to dive into this adventure and pamper other mothers?
Volunteering means of course… free. No monetary compensation. But then, if there is no monetary reward, what do they gain in donating their time, a bit of their food budget, and of their creativity to offer a freshly cooked meal and some of their free time to strangers?
It is a pertinent question that the journalists and other people who I talk to about SuperMamas are asking. It is indeed a little bit crazy, in a world where everything has a price tag or follow the rule of compensation, that hundreds of mothers invest every day in the well-being of families around them.
Below is what I answer to this question, and the majority of the feedback I receive from these mothers/grandmothers/women/men are full of kindness and indefinable joy.
The feeling to contribute to the community. This is the first argument that comes to my mind. Do not misunderstand me: our fabulous SuperMamas are also contributing outside the scope of SuperMamas! But it is very rewarding for the soul to experience how our actions concretely do some good to others.
The appreciation of one’s competency. Preparing a meal that does some good, exchanging about your own experience, providing some sought-after advices, recommending a professional or a friend, or informing the Admin when we have the feeling that the BubbleMama could use more help.
Beautiful encounters. Those that transform into friendships or partnerships.
The easy access of the pampering. I subscribe if I want to, when I want to, and if I can.
This is for all those reasons that our fabulous volunteers get involved and keep the SuperMamas alive.
Three years already went by. Three years of pamperings throughout Switzerland and Germany.
Hundreds of families have discovered the joy of being pampered. What a gift! My desire to show the new mums that they are valued has been fulfilled: You deserve it! You deserve it so much that other mums who haven’t met you yet are more than happy to pamper you, to support you in this most beautiful and most difficult mission of all: to raise the generation of tomorrow.
I think of all the partners, the children, the colleagues, the friends and families who see you, generous mothers, go pamper another mother you have never met before. What a wonderful example you are giving them! I am so proud to witness so much generosity.
To you, HelpingMamas and SuperMamas Admins, to you all SuperMamas, I wish you a wonderful International Volunteer Day.
-Elisa
Elisa is the inventor behind the SuperMamas concept and founder of the SuperMamans.ch.
Supermamas 