What is the essence of being a mom? Is it only found in childbearing? Almost everyone would disagree if you said so.

A mom is someone who loves and cares deeply, is protective and a disciplinarian, and is ultimately a true friend. It means taking responsibility for another being and putting their happiness as one of your top priorities. Sound familiar?

You may not recognize it, but if you’ve found some of the things relatable, well, here’s a list of the ways you have always been a certified mom even without having a literal child.

1. You’re the mom of your friend group

If you’re the one who’s always in charge of planning your next outing, reminding everyone of each other’s birthday, bringing extra handkerchiefs, water, medicine, or every kind of phone charger, then you’re probably the mom of your friends.

Another big sign that you’re the mom of your friend group is that they often ask you for advice. Whether it may be about their love life, work-related struggles, or just general adulting questions, they often come to you for your opinion, and even ask for solutions!

But most importantly, you’re a caring and nurturing person who supports her friends in any way she can. You also make sure that there are no hard feelings between your friends, so everyone is happy. Take the time to appreciate the mom of your friend group for taking care of you, a.k.a. her not-so-little children!

2. You’re the mentor to your officemates

It may be because you’ve worked in the company for a while now and you might be in a managerial position or higher, that you’ve become the ‘office mom.’ You’re protective of your team, but you also don’t coddle them if they make mistakes.

They often ask you for career advice, and you sometimes give it to them unsolicited — because you don’t want them to repeat the wrong decisions you made. You keep their best interests at your heart and you let them know about promotions or other available opportunities that will help in their career growth.

As the office mom, your door is always open for conversations when they need someone to talk to about work duties or a space to vent their personal problems.

3. You’re the go-to ‘tita’ of your ‘pamangkins’

Being single doesn’t really mean you haven’t experienced motherhood. If you have nieces and nephews, you are usually expected to be their honorary parent. One of the major signs you’re a certified mom to your ‘pamangkins’ is that they genuinely enjoy your company!

They often invite you to their fun activities or to simply run some errands. You may not always be around or live in the same house but you’re never too far when they need you. You’re also present at times when their parents are physically or emotionally unavailable.

Most importantly, you are their safe space to enjoy and discover new things. As their go-to ‘tita,’ you serve as their confidant and supporter, and they trust your opinion because they can ask for advice without risk of judgment. As long as they have your go signal, they feel like they can do anything!

4. You’re a ‘furmom’ or a ‘plantita’

Taking care of pets and a variety of plants is absolutely not easy! Just like every mother of a child, being a fur and plant mom comes with great responsibilities. It requires a lot of hard work, time, and financial means to nurture your companions.

Aside from attending to their physical needs, you’re a certified mom to your pets if you help them learn how to navigate the human world. You spend hours training them so they can make ‘pet friends’ or socialize with other people.

In the case of ‘plantitas,’ you research a lot and ask for information on how to tend and look after your plants, as each and every kind is unique. It may be difficult at times, but you only want the best for your fur babies and green companions.

You’re probably one of the people who leaves the party early because ‘I need to water my plants!’ or ‘My baby Peanut is waiting for me at home!’
How about you? Did you learn what kind of mom you are?

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