Somewhere between the imaginary bliss of new motherhood and the darkest places of postpartum depression lies the typical experience of motherhood. Landscape architect, illustrator, and mom of two Paula Kuka—in total multitasking mom-boss fashion—has nailed what it’s like to navigate the joys, strains, and surprises of motherhood in a totally relatable way.
“I’m terrible at keeping baby books up to date,” (we really, really like her) “so I decided to document those early days with illustrations,” Kuka told HuffPost. “I wanted to record the funny things my kids did and said, the milestones, the blissful moments, the chaos.” And when one of her illustrations went viral on BabyCenter, she decided to share more of them publicly.
“We compare ourselves to the perfect image of motherhood we often see on social media. I want parents to know that just because you have moments of boredom or frustration or where you would rather be hiding in the garden drinking wine than playing yet another game with your kids, it doesn’t mean you love them any less,” she said. Can we get this lady a mike?
Her illustrations resonate with parents because they don’t play into parenting stereotypes, nor do they trivialize the stress that parenting young children can cause. They’re simply relatable and funny. “I didn’t realize there was a huge middle ground, and I believe this with where most mums fit. I hope that my work celebrates and normalizes this middle ground.”
Considering the overwhelming feedback she’s received from parents who’ve thanked her for making them feel less alone, we think she’s done a fine job of what she set out to do.
