A Surrey author and mum-of-three has launched a genius ‘ribbon’ movement that will make sure mother’s across the country get the help they need without even having to ask.
Anna Mathur, 37, knows how difficult being a mum can be. Often, either you’ll be struggling, or you’ll see another mother having a bad day. But how do you ask for help?
Mathur’s newly-launched Mum Ribbon Movement is putting a stop to second-guessing and stiff upper lips.
Instead, if you see a ribbon on a women’s bag in public, then you’ll know you can lean on them for help with your children.
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Speaking to Metro, Mathur says that the Mum Ribbon Movement came from feeling ‘utterly depleted’ after having a particularly difficult day with her kids.
“I was juggling three kids down the high street,” she said. “One was screaming and the other two lagging behind. I felt utterly depleted and was fighting back tears.
“I looked around me and saw strangers, other mums, families, people on their own. I wished so much that I could have turned to someone in that moment, for a kind word, a warm smile or an extra hand to distract a child.”
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Mathur, who is also a psychotherapist, said that she could see that people on the high street knew she needed a hand.
However, she said that those people may have “worried I’d feel offended if they offered to help.”
Therefore, the Mum Ribbon Movement was born out of that desire to be approached and helped by strangers in the street.
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“I thought, ‘I would love to be the mum who helped another mum with an extra hand, some emergency wipes, or some comfort’,” she said.
“I wished there was a way that I could say 'I’m up for you helping me, I won’t be offended. And I’m up for helping you too, you can talk to me.'”
Mathur came up with the idea of tying a ribbon to your bag to show solidarity and kindness to other mothers in public.
To spread her new-found movement, she took to Instagram to detail exactly how to get involved.
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Within 48 hours, the original explainer post had garnered 22,000 likes via Instagram and hundreds of positive comments.
“Grab a ribbon and share the square! The ribbon says: I am open to you offering me some kind words or support. I’m here if you need some kind words or support,” the post reads.
“It’s also for those who’ve messaged me to say that they’ve been offered support before, but said they were ‘fine thanks’ when they weren’t.
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She told Metro that asking for help as a mother isn’t a ‘lack of strength’, instead it ‘makes us stronger and healthier mentally.’
“This [the Mum Ribbon Movement] is an antidote to loneliness, comparison, division, and fear of being rebuffed when supporting others.
“I truly believe the ribbons can help cut through the awkwardness and uncertainty of approaching someone to offer support,” she added.
As aforementioned, the Instagram post has been flooded with positive comments.
Irish TV presenter Julia Bradbury wrote, “Brilliant idea. We’re always in such a rush at the school gates. I’m not there regularly because of work, so I don’t know all the Mum’s very well and feel a bit of an imposter when I’m there. This will really help.”
Fellow author Kate Silverton said, “Love this idea @annamathur we all need to be there for each other.”
Elsewhere, a Metro reader who sees the potential in the Mum Ribbon Movement believes it could be rolled out further.
They wrote, “I like the idea of promoting people being kinder and more helpful towards each other.
“How about we expand [the Movement] from just parenting and colour these ribbons to denote certain traits that someone would be happy to accept help with?”
“Parenting, physical disabilities, and mental disabilities are a few to mention.”
However, some people believe that the Mum Ribbon Movement is leaving out men and erasing the struggles that single dads also face.
One person commented saying, “[This is] single-handedly ostracising and alienating all the single dads out there.”
Another commenter wrote, “They didn’t mention dads at all. Men are just as likely to struggle with parenting as women, so why not bring them into it as well?”
Mathur has now turned off comments on her original Mum Ribbon Movement Instagram post. However, for more information, you can find it here.
Ella Scott