Jiezhen on Motherhood, the Moments In Between, and Gifts That Mean Something

Jiezhen on Motherhood, the Moments In Between, and Gifts That Mean Something

Motherhood is often remembered through milestones. But when Jiezhen looks back at her own childhood, it’s the moments in between she remembers most.

Before a big day or an important test, her mother would secretly slip little notes into her school bag, pencil case or lunchbox - reminders that she was loved, that she was proud of her, and that she was always cheering her on. After school, she would arrive with freshly cut fruit - “an Asian mum’s love language” - and find somewhere quiet, often facing the trees, to simply sit together. She had a way of making an ordinary afternoon feel beautiful.

Years later, Jiezhen watches her mother bring that same box of fruit when picking up her daughter Juniper from school. The notes still come too, only now they arrive over WhatsApp. Small rituals of love, carried from one generation to the next.

Jiezhen is a leadership coach, founder of The Possibility Playbook, and mum to Juniper and Jazper. For Mother’s Day, we spoke to her about the lessons passed down from her mother, the gifts that make us feel truly seen, and the ordinary moments that stay with us.

On Becoming a Mother

What’s been the biggest surprise about motherhood?

The biggest surprise has been how many things motherhood can be at once. It is beautiful and disorienting, joyful and exhausting, expansive and all-consuming.

I did not expect to feel so much love while also having to continually rediscover who I am. Motherhood has not only been about raising my children; it has also invited me to keep growing alongside them.

On Becoming a Mother

What’s one thing about motherhood that people don’t talk about enough?

How much of motherhood is invisible.

There is the physical work, but also the constant thinking, anticipating, remembering and emotional holding. Mothers are often creating the conditions for everyone else to feel secure and cared for, even when nobody sees what went into making that possible.

I also do not think we talk enough about how much a mother needs to be mothered too: to feel held, supported and cared for, rather than always being the one holding everything together.

On Becoming a Mother

Has becoming a mum changed your relationship with your own mother?

Becoming a mother has helped me recognise my mama’s love in ways I could not fully understand as a child. I now see the intention behind the hidden notes, the fruit boxes, the school pick-ups and all the small things she did without drawing attention to herself.

And now, when I see her leaving the house to head to Juniper’s school with freshly cut fruit, it feels like love moving through the generations.

There is something healing, grounding and deeply tender about seeing the person who cared for me care for my children in the same unmistakably Mama Wu way.

ON BECOMING A MOTHER

What does Mother’s Day mean to you now?

Mother’s Day is an opportunity to honour the whole lineage of mothering: the woman who mothered me, the mother I am becoming and the children who made me a mother.

It is also a reminder to notice mothers more fully, not only for everything they do, but for who they are beneath all the doing.
The Ordinary Co
The Ordinary Co
The Ordinary Co
The Ordinary Co

“I love things that are both beautiful and useful: gifts that bring warmth, comfort or a little beauty into an ordinary day.”

How would you describe your mum in three words?

Selfless, caring and generous.

My mama has always expressed her love through what she does for the people around her. As she once told me, “You don’t have to be rich to be generous.”

That captures her perfectly. Her generosity has never been limited to material things; she gives freely of her time, care, encouragement and wisdom.

We asked Juniper how she would describe me in three words. She said, “Coach, kind and smart.”

I love that “coach” was the first word that came to mind because she knows I am a life and leadership coach, and that she thinks I’m kind and smart. It was especially sweet to hear how she sees both my work and the person behind it.



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“Thoughtfulness begins with attention. It is not necessarily about how much a gift costs, but whether it reflects something you genuinely know about her.”

For Mama, From Jiezhen

Willow Shawl
Willow Shawl
Lotus Shawl
1819 Shawl

For Mama, From Jiezhen

The Willow Shawl immediately comes to mind. I love that it is inspired by Bishan Park and Singapore. There is something calm, grounding and quietly beautiful about it that reminds me of my mama.

Willow Shawl

$75.00
$75.00

She has always encouraged me to spend time in nature when I am struggling, reminding me how calming, healing and energising trees and plants can be.

Willow Shawl

$75.00
$75.00

I would also choose the Lotus Shawl because my mother always told us about the wisdom of the lotus growing up - that without the mud the lotus cannot exist. “No mud, no lotus,” she would say.

Lotus Shawl

$65.00
$65.00

And the 1819 Shawl, because my mama’s style is classic and timeless. It is one that will remain forever chic and evergreen.

1819 Shawl

$65.00
$65.00

On Giving Something Meaningful

For Jiezhen, the gifts that endure have less to do with price and more to do with attention - the feeling that someone has noticed who you are, what you love and what matters to you.

__________

What’s the best Mother’s Day gift you’ve ever received?

Jazper! He was born on the eve of Mother’s Day in 2024.

But if I had to choose, one of the best gifts I have received was a handmade card from Juniper. She had put it together herself, so it felt unique, personal and completely her own.

Eventually, I realised that what I really wanted for Mother’s Day was something from the children: something that allowed me to feel seen and appreciated by them too. It didn’t have to be fancy, it just had to be heartfelt.

Perhaps it meant even more because it reminded me of the notes my own mum used to leave for me. Written words have always been one of the ways I feel most seen and loved.

__________

What makes a Mother’s Day gift truly thoughtful?

Thoughtfulness begins with attention.

It is not necessarily about how much a gift costs, but whether it reflects something you genuinely know about her: what she loves, what she needs or what makes her feel most like herself.

A handwritten note can make any gift more meaningful. Tell her what you notice and appreciate about her. Mothers do so much that can easily go unseen, and sometimes the most meaningful gift is simply knowing that someone sees it.

__________


What would you suggest to someone wondering what to buy their mum for Mother’s Day?

Begin with who your mum actually is, rather than with what a Mother’s Day gift is “supposed” to look like.

What does she enjoy? What would make her everyday life more beautiful, comfortable or meaningful? What might she love but never think to buy for herself?

The best gifts show that you have been paying attention.

__________

And what about the mum who already has everything?

I would choose something that creates a feeling or a memory. It could be an experience together, something handmade or a beautiful everyday item chosen especially for her.

And if she truly does not need more things, give her your time and full attention. Take her somewhere meaningful, recreate a favourite memory or write down what you have learnt from her.

These are gifts that cannot be bought.

__________


Do you prefer experiences, practical gifts or sentimental keepsakes?

I am definitely a both-and person.

I love experiences because they give us meaningful time together, practical gifts when they add beauty to everyday life, and sentimental keepsakes because they hold a particular moment or season.


Ultimately, I love gifts that feel personal,
that say, “I know you. I see you.”

Is there anything your mum did that you appreciate more now that you’re a parent?

I appreciate how present my mama was in our lives and how intentional she was about the way she chose to show up as a mother.

As a child, I experienced the small things simply as love. As a parent, I now understand the thought, time and intention behind them.

I also appreciate how conscious she was about not passing her own fears and anxieties on to us. She wanted to give us the freedom to discover who we were and become our own people. That is something I think about often in my own mothering.

Although she encouraged us to do our best, she made it clear that how well we did in school was never the most important measure of success. What mattered more was that my siblings and I grew into good people - that we were kind, honest, considerate and lived in alignment with our values.

That shaped all of us and continues to shape the way I think about raising Juniper and Jazper.

When your children are grown up, what do you hope they’ll remember most about you?

I hope they remember how deeply loved they were, and that I took the time to really know them, not only as my children but as their own people.

I hope they remember that I made space for wonder and beauty, that I believed in them and that they always felt safe coming to me exactly as they were.

Perhaps, in some way, I hope to give them what my mama gave me: the feeling that they were seen, heard and never alone.


I hope they remember our one-to-one dates and family adventures... but also the ordinary moments.

A NOTE FROM JIEZHEN TO HER MOTHER