Making the Invisible Visible: The Hidden Labor of Motherhood
This year, I’m focusing on making the invisible labor of motherhood visible, showing my daughters the heart and effort behind everything I do.
As we step into this new year, I’ve been reflecting on how I can be more intentional as a mom—not just in how I show up for my daughters but in how I let them see me. So much of what I do as their mother happens behind the scenes: the planning, the organizing, the thinking ten steps ahead to make their lives smoother and more joyful. It’s important work, but it’s often invisible.
A recent moment brought this into sharp focus for me. Kier shared a video that went viral, where our oldest daughter, Emery, casually said that “Mommy doesn’t do as much work as you.”
She didn’t say it with malice—she just didn’t see it. Kier stepped in, as he always does, to lovingly explain the invisible labor of a mom. He talked about the things that don’t get noticed: the laundry that’s always done, the meals that magically appear, the bedtime routines, the quiet problem-solving behind every little hiccup in the day.
But that moment still stuck with me.
I realized that while my daughters experience the results of my love and labor, they don’t always see the effort behind it. Most of the work I do—whether it’s running our home, building my business, or pursuing my passions—happens when they’re at school or asleep. To them, I’m just “Mommy,” who’s always present, always available, but not necessarily “working.”
And honestly, that’s on me.
I’ve unintentionally kept my daughters on the outside of the heart of what I do. Not because I don’t want them to see it, but because I’ve been focused on making their lives run as smoothly as possible. But I don’t want them to grow up thinking the love and care I pour into our family is effortless—or worse, that it’s just what moms do.
This year, I want to change that. I want to let them in. I want them to see the passion, creativity, and energy that fuel my work—both at home and outside of it. I want them to understand that being their mom is my greatest joy, but it’s not all of who I am. I want them to see the fullness of my life, so they can grow up knowing it’s okay to have big dreams and work hard for them.
It’s not about proving a point or making them feel guilty for not noticing. It’s about teaching them the value of what we pour into the people and things we care about. It’s about showing them that love isn’t just in the outcomes. It’s in the effort.
So here’s to a year of making the invisible visible—not for validation, but for connection. Here’s to letting my daughters see the woman behind the mom. 💗
xoxo Noémie
I saw that video and I'm glad you wrote about this. I was really interested in your perspective. Thanks for sharing!
I love this post! I am curious as to how that looks so our daughters recognize the value in all the work we do