I have never prided myself as a Supermom.

The first time I bathed my baby was when she was 13 months old.

That was also the time I cleaned up my baby’s poo.

My husband was absurdly hurt, and I was left to clean and bathe her while he was having his bleeding hand stitched in the Emergency Room.

During the daytime, I have our maid bring her to school early in the morning. The babysitter comes in our room at 7:15am to bring her to the nursery in time for class at 8:00am. The driver drives both of them there.

My mom’s driver picks her up at 10:00am and takes her to lunch, where she is then sent to another playschool at noon till 3:00pm. Then she watches sing-along videos in the office till 7:00pm.

The only time I have time for her is after work in the evening.

In the daytime when I cannot be a proper mother, I have hired the babysitter, the driver, the nursery teachers, my staff, and even asked for the help of my own mother to take care of my own offspring.

I do this without shame — as I find it impossible to earn a living and raise my daughter at the same time.

Thankfully, despite my lack of motherly competencies, my daughter still adores me and still gives me a big smile when she sees me come home.

It is because of my lack of time, energy and experience that I’d have to say — My Daughter is Raised by a Community of People who Adore and Love Her.

If she ended up reasonable and sane, it is to their credit that she turned out okay.

That’s why, I thank yaya for waking up early and bringing her to and from school. I know that a lot of other mothers do this, and I’m sorry I do not. But I try my best to be there for daughter on very special occasion and performances, and hope that yaya’s constant presence at school bring my daughter comfort that at least there’s someone looking out for her while I am gone.

I thank her teachers for being patient with her. It warms my heart to hear them comment on how my child is doing, and how she refuses to sit for long periods of time. The teachers are extra pairs of eyes who watch over my child and teach her the right and wrong way. They are the reason why she knows “burger,” “pail,” and “pack away,” words that I know she learned in school.

I thank my mom for adoring her only granddaughter. Since we aren’t super rich, my mother has been such a blessing for us. She has bought for us Pampers since my daughter was born. My daughter has never been in need for any material things because of my mom. For this, I thank you. That, and for doting on my daughter whenever she can.

I thank my in-laws too for taking care of my daughter in the evenings. For feeding her mango and for letting her use the iPad, especially since she can’t do it when I’m not around.

I thank my staff for entertaining her, feeding her, watching over her, and for obliging her when she is in the office. I hope that she learns all of the best things about you guys and see you as her extended family.

I thank the Lord for always watching over us. For keeping us safe. And for keeping us relatively healthy. We are blessed a thousand times over, and none of this is possible without God’s watchfulness.

My daughter is now two years old, and is raised by a community.

She is the ways she is not because of me and her father alone, but rather, because of a slew of people who helps us in raising her and ensuring she is well taken care of.

She is never lacking of love, care and attention. Even when I am not around, they compensate for my absence, and the accumulation of all of us produces what my daughter is today.

So thank you to the community who raised her.

And thank you to the daughter who brought us so much joy.

Happy birthday, little pea!