Sharifah Sofia has been an actress for most of her life but even acting won’t have prepared her for the role of a mother. Her life now largely revolves around her two princesses Ameera and Ariana. Here she shares what it’s like to experience motherhood, as well as her plans of probably returning to acting again someday.
Do tell us a bit about your two girls.
My girls are fantastic mashaAllah. They are such blessings and my mum could second that. They wake up with the biggest smiles on their faces and such shine in their eyes. As typically as kids are, they can be such menaces but there’s so much entertainment and excitement in all of it. There is never a dull moment in the house.
How has motherhood changed your life?
Tremendously! I mean, you never know what having children may bring you. After working almost every day since I was 16, I had decided to take a break from acting so I could be more involved in the development of my girls lives. Of course that means everything else has to follow through including lifestyle (and the lack of a social life too!). There’s no more sleeping till 12pm anymore either!
Do you have any plans to return to acting?
Honestly, it’s a huge dilemma. I love acting and I know I’m good at it but watching my children bloom into who they are today is so fulfilling, extremely tiring too! Maybe one day, when I’m ready, I may get back to what I love doing.
What inspired your website “With Love, Mummy”?
I used to have a blog where I would share stories about the girls and some tips as well and since I intend to do more than just writing, I decided to turn it into a brand. Right now the site isn’t doing much but in the near future, inshaAllah, there’s more to come.
What are your resolutions for 2015?
I’ve never been much of a resolution kind of person because when I was, I never followed through anyway. So basically when I intend to do something, I try not to procrastinate so much and get my butt to it!
What has been the most ridiculous advice you have received on parenting?
Oh gosh! There are so many!! Which to choose from? But usually I take most with a pinch of salt. In one ear out the other. If asked if I’ve done what they had told me to, I just nod and smile.
If you could give expectant mothers an advice, what would it be?
Don’t worry too much. Parenting isn’t all text book so don’t depend on all those books you have bought, borrowed and been given. Being a mother is a skill only you as a mother to your own child can master. People can only say and advise so much but you are the decision maker and you are in control. Parenting is not a competition and neither is being a child. Don’t let peer pressure ruin the fun in being a family. Most of all, childhood is only lived once, let your children be children, they have the rest of their lives to grow up.
How do you divide your time and attention equally between both your girls?
I feel that I’m doing it pretty well actually, Alhamdulillah. While Ariana is in school, I get to spend lots of time with Ameera. When Ameera is asleep, I spend the last hour of the day with Ariana and usually end up sleeping with her. When they are both awake, I teach them to learn how to share their things and play together. When I play with one, the other wants the same thing so I let her. If one isn’t allowed to do the same as the other, I’m afraid jealousy may occur and I really don’t want that.
Lastly, what’s the one thing people don’t know about having more than one child?
It doesn’t get any easier but at the same time it actually does. You may think you know how to do it all because you’ve “been there, done that”, but in actual fact, there is more time and energy put into it. Now there’s 200% love to be given, twice or thrice the energy to keep up with. But fear not, at the end of the day when the kids are asleep and you have those couple of hours of silence downstairs in front of the television and you remind yourself that it’s all worth it. There’s no better feeling than having more than one monster to wake up to everyday… HAHAHA!
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Ung Yiu Lin, mother of Zara and founder of KLutched |
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Interview by Anna Lee.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Sharifah Sofia.
