Our Recharge Mama Giveaway - June 18-21, 2025
Summer is often challenging for Moms like us - school is out, routines shift, and overwhelm hits us fast. BUT that doesn’t mean we cannot carve out small moments to recharge. Years ago, at the beginning of the pandemic - split between caring for Nai, alongside my hubby Kes, and my Dad in hospice - it became clear that caring for myself was not a luxury – but a necessity; frankly, none of us can afford to ignore the urgency of radical self care. Most of us do not have hours for spa visits, but even a few moments a day makes a difference.
You can tap into what I call your well-being anchors - short daily wellness practices which nourish and sustain you - mind, body and spirit. My anchors are warm baths, short meditations, waling in nature (when Nai is in school), and devotionals and prayer (in the progressive Christian tradition) split between the morning and evening. The time can vary day to day - sometimes 10-15 minute, other days closer to 5 minutes. Work with what time / space you have, and give yourself grace.
Parenting our children opens us to deeper compassion, empathy and love; we celebrate each step of progress, and become fierce advocates for inclusion. But it also means, as Mamas, we are constantly juggling multiple roles typical parents are not - managing medical, educational and therapeutic needs. And sometimes, even those closest to us cannot recognize we are drowning in overwhelm. Folks come to expect us holding it all together, while swallowing the depths of our feelings which often oscillate between hope and grief, joy and a longing to come out of the isolation we live with as parents raising kids with disabilities.
According to research conducted by the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders (published in 2009): “Mothers of adolescents and adults with autism experience chronic stress comparable to combat soldiers and struggle with frequent fatigue and work interruptions.”
Many of us cannot take regular vacations, but we can find pockets of time in our days to recharge; our well-being depends upon it.
Recently, I came across a quote from the actress Gabrielle Union which is sitting within my spirit; it is a sacred reminder that we, too, are worthy of care: “If you prioritize yourself, you are going to save yourself.”
Those words remind me of radical self care (wrote about on our blog last month) which came into being because activists like the Black Panther Party, and BIPOC creatives such as Audre Lorde and bell hooks, among others, understood caring for ourselves strengthens our capacity to show up in advocacy / activism, community and family.
Recharging is part of our motherhood journey and commitment to creating a better world for our children, standing alongside others within the disability community working for acceptance, awareness and inclusion.
As you all know our mission at When Motherhood Looks Different is is to provide community, well-being tools, and support for moms raising neurodivergent kids, and moms who are neurodivergent themselves. Through well-being / mindfulness coaching, events, services and products, and support via the blog & social media, our heart-centered aim is to close the gap of isolation for moms like us on this journey.
And all of this inspired me to team up Laura, founder of Modestine, to bring you our exclusive "Recharge Mama Giveaway" which starts today, Wednesday, June 18 on Instagram, @WhenMotherhoodLooksDifferent and @ByModestine, and ends Friday, June 20.
Laura and I want to help you drop into sacred tools for calm, comfort, and affirmation as you navigate the beautiful complexities of your neurodivergent motherhood journey.
Modestine crafts “organic wellness teas which are rituals in a cup-crafted for calm, clarity, and connection. Each blend nurtures the mind, body, and spirit—inviting you to pause, sip, and come home to yourself. ” Laura came to this heartfelt work through her own personal journey: “My healing began when Western medicine had no answers for the sacred shifts my body was navigating. I returned to the wisdom of my ancestors — the hands of my grandmother, Modestine, and the sacred plants of my Caribbean lineage.
What started as a personal rite of reclamation evolved into Modestine — a sanctuary for women reclaiming their softness, their rhythms, and their right to rest. Returning to the plants of my lineage became my medicine. Studying tea became my ritual. Modestine became my offering—created for women like me navigating the sacred shifts of midlife, perimenopause, and the seasons beyond.”
Our loving intention with the Recharge, Mama Giveaway, is to help you find moments of peace and nourishment, here is what you can win:
"I Am a Warrior Mama. I Am Worthy of Rest," an affirmation mug from When Motherhood Looks Different:
A daily reminder of your strength and the importance of rest (we’ll add to the WMLD store next month).
Beautiful Glass Tea Pot from Modestine to support you in unwinding and calling in radical self care.
Caregiving Mama Affirmation Meditation (Digital Download) from When Motherhood Looks Different
Soothing meditation designed to support the neurodivergent motherhood journey.
Mindful Mama Affirmation card from When Motherhood Looks Different to help encourage your spirit and remind you, you are amazing, even on those difficult days (stay tuned for our full affirmation card deck in the WMLD store next month!)
Tea Infuser from Modestine to help you come to a soothing brew every time.
Ritual + Rise Tea from Modestine: “This sacred blend of green sencha, soft vanilla and rose petals gently awakens your senses while grounding your energy. Crafted to support a balanced nervous system and center emotions, Ritual + Rise invites you to pause, sip and align before you step into your day.”
Giveaway Rules & Details:
- Runs from Wednesday, June 18th - Friday, June 20th
- Enter on Instagram @WhenMotherhoodLooksDifferent and @ByModestine
You must follow both @WhenMotherhoodLooksDifferent and @ByModestine on Instagram.
Tag 2 friends in the comments section of the giveaway post.
Bonus Points (total of 3) if you share the Recharge Mama Giveaway post to your Instagram stories and tag us both @WhenMotherhoodLooksDifferent and @ByModestine.
Open only to U.S. residents.
Winner announced on Instagram, Saturday, June 21!
