For 56-year-old Fusi Mary Whippy, Mother’s Day is not a single date on the calendar but a daily acknowledgement of the work mothers do to hold families together. A resident of Calia, Navua, and originally from Bua, Whippy said the annual celebrations remain meaningful — yet insufficient — compared with the everyday care and sacrifice she believes mothers deserve.
Whippy works as a security officer at UniFiji and is a mother of five — two sons and three daughters — whom she raised largely on her own. Her children are now grown, married and working, but she said they never fail to make time for her on Mother’s Day despite their busy lives. “They always make time for one special day for me, and that is one thing I will cherish forever,” she said, describing those family gatherings as her best Mother’s Day memories.
Balancing shift work and household responsibilities gave Whippy a first‑hand perspective on the demands that many mothers quietly shoulder. “Mothers look after the children, the home, go to work, often leaving in the mornings and returning late after a hard day’s work,” she said, underscoring why recognition should extend beyond a single annual observance. Her workplace role at the university adds another layer to that daily routine, she said, as she juggles professional duties with the ongoing needs of her family.
Still, Whippy acknowledges the comfort and connection that the formal Mother’s Day brings. While the day is observed globally this year on May 10, she said the occasion gives families a dedicated moment to express gratitude and to come together. For Whippy and her children, that annual focus is a tradition they maintain without fail, a reassurance of familial bonds that has deep personal value for her.
Whippy also spoke candidly about the emotional realities of parenting. “As we all know we mothers are human and often face some ups and downs raising our children. There are bad and good times, but at the end of the day there is always a place in a mother’s heart for their children,” she said, reflecting on both the sacrifices and rewards that define her experience of motherhood.
As Mother’s Day approaches, Whippy extended a message to other mothers across Fiji: to celebrate with loved ones and embrace the special time together. “For all mothers out there, it is a big day for us, and a special time to celebrate with our loved ones so we should look forward to it, and on that note I wish all mother figures a blessed Mother’s Day this year,” she said, reiterating her belief that the respect and appreciation shown on that day should be carried into everyday life.